Nikola Jokic Says He Would Sign Nuggets Supermax Contract If Offered in Offseason

Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic suggested Wednesday that he wants to remain in Denver for years to come.

After the Nuggets were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by virtue of a 102-98 Game 5 loss to the Golden State Warriors, Jokic said the following about potentially signing a supermax contract extension with Denver this offseason, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk:

"I would like it, of course. But it's not something that I'm deciding. I think if [the] offer is on the table, of course I'm going to accept it because I really like the organization, I really like the people who works here. I'm in [a] really good relationship with everybody from [the] owner to equipment manager."

Jokic would undoubtedly be worthy of a supermax offer after having won the NBA MVP award last season and putting himself in position to repeat as MVP this season.

The supermax would pay Jokic $254 million over five years, per ESPN's Bobby Marks, and he has earned every penny of it.

Last season, Jokic put up massive numbers across the board, averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game en route to becoming the first true center to be named NBA MVP since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000.

It seemed unlikely, but Jokic somehow managed to be even better during the 2021-22 campaign.

With the Nuggets missing guard Jamal Murray for the entire season and forward Michael Porter Jr. for all but a handful of games due to injury, almost all of the burden fell on Jokic's shoulders.

He responded by averaging 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists and becoming the first player in NBA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season.

Even without arguably their second- and third-best players, the Nuggets reached the playoffs as the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference with a 48-34 record.

That was a huge accomplishment in and of itself and made perhaps the strongest case of all for Jokic to be named MVP over other top contenders such as Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

If Jokic does win MVP, he will become only the 13th different player in NBA history to win the award at least two years in a row.

Given how crucial Jokic has been to the Nuggets' success and the uncertainty regarding how effective Murray and Porter will be when they return from injury, one can only assume Denver will have no problem giving Jokic the supermax and locking him in for a long time to come.