Although he will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic doesn’t plan on going anywhere.
Jokic is in the final season of his contract, which pays him $59 million this coming season, with a player option for 2027-29 at $62 million, which he is going to decline.
The Nuggets have made it clear that they want to keep Jokic in Denver for the rest of his career, but although he can sign a four-year, $278 million extension right now, he has chosen to wait until next offseason, which has made some fans worried, as other teams may make him an offer as a UFA.
However, Jokic is now telling Nuggets fans not to worry, because he plans on sticking around in Denver long-term.
Nikola Jokic Will Re-Sign With Nuggets
Speaking to reporters at Nuggets media day on Monday, Jokic confirmed that he plans on signing a new contract with Denver next season.
He is eligible for a five-year, $359.5 million deal next summer with a full no-trade clause, and he intends to sign that deal and stick around in Denver for the long haul.
“I’m going to sign the contract next summer — if they want me,” Jokic said.
Obviously, the Nuggets want Jokic back, and for good reason, because he is one of the NBA’s elite players and one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
According to the superstar, he has talked to Nuggets ownership and management, and everyone is on the same page about his contract talks.
“I talked to Ben (Tenzer). I talked to Jon (Wallace). I talked to Josh (Kroenke). They know my opinion, and I was being more than open about it. And hopefully, they trust me,” Jokic said.
Nikola Jokic is a Living Legend
The 31-year-old Serbian native has been in the NBA since 2015, and he has made the All-Star Game the last eight seasons, with three first-place MVP finishes and three second-place MVP finishes during that stretch.
This past season, Jokic played in 65 games for the Nuggets, averaging 27.7 points plus a league-leading 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game in another brilliant basketball display.
However, the Nuggets lost in the playoffs once again, which is obviously frustrating for Jokic, who demands excellence from himself, his teammates, his coaching staff, and the Nuggets organization as a whole.
That’s why there has been some talk that perhaps Jokic would want to test free agency and see what else is out there for him next summer when he can go onto the open market and speak to other teams. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case, as Jokic appears to want to stick around in Denver long-term and try to win another NBA Championship in Denver.
This offseason, the Nuggets added veteran DeMar DeRozan via free agency, and Jokic is hoping that his addition can help the team take another step further in the playoffs, as the veteran wing is one of the NBA’s premier bucket-getters and should help create space for Jokic to work with.
Nikola Jokic Gives Nuggets Fans Exciting Update on Contract Talks