Nikola Jokic Updates Nuggets Future, Latest NBA Rumors on New Contract, Timeline

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic likely isn't hitting the open market anytime soon.

Speaking after Serbia's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in FIBA World Cup qualifying, Jokic told reporters he intends to extend his Nuggets contract next summer and remain in Denver for the rest of his career.

According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Bobby Marks, Jokic will be eligible for a record five-year $359.5 million contract if he waits until the 2027 offseason to sign.

"As league sources close to Jokić explained, he wants to wait on his next contract to add another year of max money (approximately $80 million) to his deal," The Athletic's Sam Amick reported. "He has one guaranteed season left on his contract, with a player option worth $62.8 million for the 2027-28 season.

"A five-year deal with the Nuggets signed a year from now would run through the 2031-32 campaign, with Jokić turning 37 years old midway through the final season. According to the sources, who were granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject, the chance to get that sort of payday in his late 30s is a significant factor in this decision."

Already on the path to being one of the best players the league has ever seen, Jokic is in the midst of a run of perennial dominance. In 2024-25, he averaged career highs of 29.6 points and 10.2 assists along with 12.7 rebounds to become the third player ever to average a triple-double for a full season, joining Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. He was the runner-up for the 2025 MVP award, finishing in the top two of the voting for the fifth consecutive season.

Despite Jokic's spectacular year, the Nuggets were eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals in seven games by the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

The star big man didn't skip a beat this past season, leading the Nuggets to a 54-28 record while averaging a triple-double for the second straight year with 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists. He surpassed the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most assists by a center in NBA history.

Jokic was once again the runner-up for NBA MVP and joined legends Bill Russell and Larry Bird as the only players ever to finish in the top two of the voting in six consecutive seasons. The Nuggets were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games. It was the third straight year that Denver failed to reach the conference finals following the team's NBA title in 2023.

The Nuggets' selection of Jokic in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft will go down as one of the biggest steals in league history. The 31-year-old has transformed the franchise into a championship-caliber team, and he only continues to get better.

Denver should be able to rest easy knowing Jokic will be extending his contract in the not-so-distant future.