Jokic: “My plan is to be a Nugget forever” and aims for more rings

Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets: A Promising Future

The Denver Nuggets have reinforced their roster this offseason, providing Nikola Jokic with what he needed to compete at the highest level. After an intense playoff series, the team focused on adding the necessary depth to face the demanding NBA season. The Nuggets’ strategy not only aims to have a wider rotation and players with fresh legs for the playoffs, but also to secure the permanence of their star with a colossal contract extension next summer. Jokic opted not to sign a four-year, $212 million extension this summer, as he could opt for the same extension for $293 million next year.

“I don’t think about that. Contract extensions are a reward, something natural in sports. Especially in the current NBA, with the salary cap growth and all that,” Jokic said.

Nikola Jokic

Although Jokic, who is entering the third year of his five-year, $276 million supermax contract, did not confirm whether he will sign the extension in 2026, he did state: “My plan is to be a Nugget forever.” Jokic is enthusiastic about the changes made by the Nuggets this offseason, including the appointment of David Adelman as coach, the new direction of Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace as general managers, and the incorporation of several veterans after the trade of Michael Porter Jr. “They definitely changed the team,” Jokic commented. Two seasons after winning their first NBA title, the Nuggets acquired forward Cam Johnson in the Porter trade, which also freed up cap space to address deficiencies in the roster. In addition, they secured the return of Bruce Brown, who played a crucial role in the Nuggets’ championship before becoming a free agent. They also added Tim Hardaway Jr. and acquired Jonas Valanciunas to reinforce the center position and, on occasion, play alongside Jokic. The Nuggets will also feature DaRon Holmes, selected in the first round of 2024, who has recovered from a ruptured Achilles tendon that kept him off the court during his rookie season. “Bruce is back. We win with him. We need to save his career again,” Jokic joked. “We have Cam and Jonas, we have a lot of new guys. We have Holmes healthy. We’ll see. It’s a new energy, a new beginning for us. Hopefully we can achieve something.” Brown, who signed with a team after the Nuggets’ championship celebration and was quickly traded, expressed his desire to return to Denver shortly after leaving. “I did great in Indiana, but it was only three months. And when I got to Toronto, we were on different paths, right? They were rebuilding… and I had already been through that stage. So, I think as soon as I got there, I wanted to come back,” Brown said.