Jokic Says He Will Sign With Nuggets Next Year: ‘If They Want Me’

Nikola Jokic has an answer for anyone worried about his future in Denver, even if he delivered it with a joke. Speaking at the Nuggets’ media day at Ball Arena on Monday, 28 September, the three-time MVP said he intends to sign a new contract next summer. “I’m going to sign next year,” he said, before adding with a grin: “If they want me.”

The line drew laughs, but the context is serious. Jokic has now declined extension offers in consecutive offseasons. The Denver Gazette and Hoops Rumors both reported that he passed on a four-year extension worth more than $270 million this summer, having also declined a three-year offer in 2025. Waiting another year allows him to sign a far bigger contract.

Why waiting makes financial sense

The calculation is straightforward. Hoops Rumors reported that Jokic will be eligible next summer for a five-year deal worth roughly $357 million, while the Denver Gazette put the figure at about $360 million. Either way, the difference compared with this summer’s offer is substantial, both in total value and in length.

• This summer’s option: a four-year extension worth more than $270 million.
• Next summer’s option: a five-year deal worth roughly $357 million to $360 million.
• Hoops Rumors noted that a 2027 deal could include a full no-trade clause, something an extension cannot.
• A five-year contract signed next year would take Jokic into his mid-30s.
• He declined a shorter extension in 2025 for similar reasons.

Jokic described the choice as business, not a sign of doubt. The Denver Gazette reported that he had discussed the decision with executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer, general manager Jon Wallace and owner Josh Kroenke. “They know my opinion, and I was being more than open about it,” he said.

The front office is relaxed

Tenzer’s response was equally direct. “We feel very comfortable with the relationship, the trust there. We have no concerns,” he said, according to Hoops Rumors. The Denver Gazette noted that Tenzer repeated the phrase for emphasis, a clear attempt to reassure supporters who had been unsettled by the headlines.

The worry, as the Associated Press report carried by Sentinel Colorado explained, is theoretical rather than based on anything Jokic has said. Delaying a new deal gives any player more control over his future, and in principle creates a window in which he could leave if the team underperformed. Jokic, however, has consistently spoken about wanting to stay.

His explanation leaned on legacy. According to the Denver Gazette, Jokic cited players such as Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan who spent their entire careers with one franchise. He spoke with pride about being part of Denver’s transformation. “I was here when we basically were a so-so team, and now we’ve grown up, won a championship,” he said.

A superstar still at his peak

Jokic’s production shows no sign of decline. Last season, the 31-year-old averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists while shooting 56.9 percent from the field, 38.0 percent from three and 83.1 percent from the line across 65 games, according to Hoops Rumors. He finished second in MVP voting for the second consecutive year.

Those numbers are extraordinary even by his standards. Averaging a triple-double with elite efficiency requires a rare combination of passing vision, touch and physical strength, and Jokic has made that level of output look routine. It is why the Nuggets are so comfortable waiting: they know how valuable he is, and so does he.

The team result was less satisfying. Denver were eliminated by Minnesota in six games in the first round, their first opening-round exit since 2022. That disappointment is part of why the offseason mattered, and why supporters paid close attention to anything that hinted at uncertainty.

How Denver reshaped the roster

The Nuggets made moves to strengthen the group around their star. The AP report noted the addition of veteran forward DeMar DeRozan, who joins a core that still includes Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon under head coach David Adelman. DeRozan brings another experienced shot creator, which could ease some of the burden on Jokic and Murray.

• DeRozan’s mid-range scoring adds a new dimension to the second unit or closing lineups.
• Murray’s health and form remain central to Denver’s ceiling.
• Gordon’s defence and cutting fit naturally with Jokic’s passing.
• Adelman enters another season with higher expectations after the first-round exit.

The central question is whether the Nuggets can surround Jokic with enough talent to contend again. The franchise won the 2023 championship with a balanced roster, and rebuilding that depth has been the challenge since. A strong season would make next summer’s negotiation a formality; a disappointing one would only intensify the attention.

What it means for the season ahead

For now, the contract topic should fade into the background. Jokic has addressed it publicly, the front office has responded, and the two sides appear aligned. The focus shifts to training camp and a season that includes a notable international date: Denver face Indiana in Mexico City on 7 November, according to the NBA’s key dates calendar.

Malaysian fans who have followed Jokic’s rise from a second-round pick to one of the game’s greatest passers will recognise his dry humour at media day. It is part of what makes him popular around the world. Behind the joke, though, is a clear message: he expects to stay in Denver, and he expects to be paid accordingly when the time comes.

The comparison with other stars is instructive. Players with significant leverage have increasingly used shorter commitments and carefully timed negotiations to maximise both earnings and control. Jokic is following that logic, but he has been unusually transparent about it, telling the front office and the public exactly what he plans to do and why.

There is little reason to doubt him. Jokic has never made a secret of his loyalty, and the Nuggets have every incentive to give him the biggest contract available. The only remaining variable is timing, and on that point both sides seem to have reached a mutual understanding.

The rest of the league will still be watching. When a player of Jokic’s calibre delays a long-term commitment, rival executives naturally take notice, even if nothing suggests he would consider leaving. The best way for Denver to end that speculation is to win, and the most powerful argument the Nuggets can make next summer will be a roster that gives their superstar a genuine chance at a second championship.