Nikola Jokic Postpones Contract Extension Talks with the Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets star, Nikola Jokic, has decided not to seek a contract extension this summer, postponing negotiations until next summer. A league source confirmed the news. Jokic, who signed a five-year contract extension for $276 million in the summer of 2022, has three years remaining on that deal. The three-time MVP has a player option in the final year of the contract, worth $62.8 million for the 2027-28 season. According to reports, Jokic was eligible to sign a three-year extension for $200 million until October 20. The first year of this extension would have replaced his player option. By waiting until the 2026 offseason to negotiate an extension, the Nuggets star could add a fourth year for an additional $77 million.The Nuggets have made several changes in recent months in the hope of improving the team around Jokic. They replaced Michael Malone with David Adelman as head coach and replaced general manager Calvin Booth with Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace. Tenzer and Wallace traded Michael Porter Jr. for Brooklyn’s Cameron Johnson and agreed to trade Dario Saric to Sacramento for Jonas Valanciunas to back up Jokic. They also got back Bruce Brown, who helped the Nuggets win the title in 2023, and signed Tim Hardaway Jr. in free agency.We are definitely going to offer it. I’m not sure if he’ll accept it or not, because we’re also going to explain every financial parameter around him signing now versus signing later. To be completely transparent, that’s the way we always are. And then he makes the best decision for himself and his family, and we’ll support him.
Josh Kroenke, Nuggets chairman
