When it comes to the NBA, most of the time, what you get is what you have to pay for. In the Denver Nuggets‘ case, they get elite pay from Nikola Jokic. Therefore, they have to pay up.
This summer, Nikola Jokic is in line for an extension. His five-year, $276.1 million deal is on the final guaranteed season. If Jokic stays on the same deal, he could opt out of $62.2 million and become a free agent in 2027.
Considering Jokic has been the face of the Nuggets for many years now, that’s the last situation the Nuggets want to find themselves in. Locking up the star center as early as possible is in Denver’s best interest.
Will Nikola Jokic Do The Nuggets A Favor?
Money is tight for the Nuggets.
The CBA won’t do Denver any favors, and a contract prediction from Bleacher Report suggests that Jokic’s next deal won’t either.
According to BR’s projection, Jokic is likely to earn $278 million over four years. That could raise his $62.8 million option salary in 2027-2028.
The Nuggets will have to make a handful of critical changes, but nothing about the expectations for Jokic will change. There aren’t any Jalen Brunson discounts happening in Denver.
“Earning slightly more than Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jokić will similarly opt out of his final year to extend at a five percent raise to a starting salary of $62 million, which would be larger than the 35 percent max if the salary cap does not climb above current projections.”
Jokic Will Get His Deserved Payday
The 2026 playoff run for the Nuggets will leave a sour taste for all involved–including Jokic. Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert finally cracked the code for a series.
Jokic shot just 44.6% from the field and 19.4% from three. Denver’s struggles stemmed beyond Jokic’s shortcomings, but he’s far from blameless.
At the end of the day, six games shouldn’t hurt Jokic. He’s still one of the best players in the NBA. If the Nuggets don’t give him well over $250 million, another team will. In 65 games, he averaged a triple-double with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists.