At his core, Nikola Jokić is a company man. Despite being arguably the best basketball player in the world, Jokić doesn't rock the boat with the Denver Nuggets (mainly because he doesn't like the attention). He doesn't usually utilize his "superstar power" the way some of his other active NBA peers might.
The exception is Jokić delaying signing a new monster contract extension with the Nuggets for the second straight year. Doing so this year means Jokić enters the Nuggets' 2026-2027 season with the possibility, albeit a small one right now, that he could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027 since he has a player option. You can understand why Jokić taking this course of action would likely make the Nuggets anxious, given that the entire
franchise is built around the three-time MVP's skill set.
Jokić knows there's anxiousness about his contract situation. That's why he came prepared with answers about his future in Denver, or otherwise, at Nuggets media day on Monday. He tried to clear the air, saying he will absolutely re-up with the Nuggets in the summer and that the delay was purely a business decision to open the door to a maximum five-year, $360 million extension. In typical Jokić fashion, he even threw in an amusing, "If they (the Nuggets) want me."
But his words here won't be enough. They simply can't be:
"I'm going to sign next year."
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) September 28, 2026
- Nikola Jokic just now at Media Day 🃏✍️ pic.twitter.com/xQ5ZqwALu5
The thing about Jokić giving the Nuggets his word that he plans to finish his career in Denver is that they are just words. It's great that he keeps reiterating his commitment to the Nuggets and that he's simply looking out for himself and his family with a larger contract, but nothing is set in stone. These are feelings he holds right now, and nothing more.
What happens if the Nuggets, who still fancy themselves as NBA title contenders, get off to a rocky start this season? What happens if injuries, once again, drag the Nuggets back down into the mud the way they did last year? Nothing says Jokić can't change his mind with more data like that to work with. Like any working professional, Jokić reserves the right to pivot should another opportunity present itself. Even though he has never cast a wayward glance at another organization, nothing says Jokić is guaranteed to re-sign with the Nuggets.
The only thing Jokić can truly do to assuage concerns about his Nuggets future until he agrees to a new Denver contract. Otherwise, and this isn't necessarily Jokić's fault in our media climate, his future will be one of the prevailing conversations hanging over the Nuggets' heads all year. Especially when they face inevitable adversity. As much as Nuggets leaders project public confidence about his future, the inherent uncertainty will almost certainly linger in the back of their minds.
It's nice that Jokić is self-aware enough to understand the impact he has on his franchise. That's why he should also know the only words that really matter from him here are his first and last name in cursive and ink on a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Plain and simple.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Nikola Jokić can only calm Nuggets contract extension worries by signing it
