Nikola Jokic said he’d sign a five-year super-max extension with the Nuggets this offseason.
Then Denver let team president Tim Connelly leave for more money with the Timberwolves. And traded a first-round pick to trim salary rather than upgrade the roster. And made another cost-cutting trade that hurts the team on the court.
But Jokic is still tying his career to the Nuggets.
Shams Charania of The Athletic:
Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Fifth season (2027-28) will be a player option at $60M.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2022
The exact value of this extension won’t be determined until next year, when it begins. It will be worth between $258,550,240 and $276,121,615, depending how the salary cap rises. The extension includes a player option, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
Jokic could have waited until free agency next summer, when he would’ve been eligible for a five-year deal with the exact same terms of this extension. That delay could have allowed him to pressure the Nuggets into spending more.
But Jokic has been easy to mange while rising from second-round pick to back-to-back reigning MVP. The 27-year-old is a determined worker, unselfish teammate and superb talent.
Despite minimizing its margin for error in order to save money, Denver still has championship upside if Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. get back on track after injuries. The Nuggets have a reasonably long runway to figure out everything.
Because they’ve secured their superstar for the next five years.
Denver also found Jokic a backup center in DeAndre Jordan and retained former two-way player Davon Reed for depth.
Jordan, now 33, has disappointed with the Mavericks, Nets, Lakers and 76ers in recent years. The Nuggets are probably next.
At least his role will be small behind Jokic.