Nikola Jokić’s patience will have quite the payoff.
On Monday, the Nuggets star told reporters in Serbia that he will hold off on signing a contract extension with the team for the second consecutive summer.
The 6-foot-11 center’s comments came after playing for Serbia in a FIBA World Cup qualifying game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Jokić reiterated that he wants to play in Denver for his entire career.
“My idea and desire is to stay in Denver,” Jokić told reporters. “I will most probably sign next summer. The decision is strictly business oriented. My wish is to stay and play for Denver the rest of my career. It’s on them if they want me.”
Jokić has two years left on his current contract. He will make $59 million next season and has a player option next summer worth $62.8 million. A year ago, Jokić passed on signing a three-year extension worth $200 million partially due to the financial incentives that came with waiting.
“We’re definitely going to offer” [the extension], Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke said in June 2025. “I’m not sure if he’s going to accept it or not because we’re also going to explain every financial parameter around him signing now versus signing later.”
The 31-year-old has been eligible for a four-year, $275 million supermax extension since June. By waiting, Jokić will be eligible for the richest deal in NBA history next summer—a five-year, $358.5 million contract that would almost double his career earnings to more than $720 million. That deal would take Jokić through the 2031–32 season, when he’ll be 37.
A league source with knowledge of the Nuggets thinking told Front Office Sports the franchise is “unconcerned” with Jokić’s delay and doesn’t consider it a leverage play. The team understands the financial incentive for Jokić to wait.
The Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Finals, but haven’t returned to the conference finals since. This past season, Jokić became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists per game.
The team is currently trying to re-sign restricted free agent Peyton Watson and is also in pursuit of LeBron James.
Mitchell Gets Paid
While Jokić is intent on netting the additional $80 million by re-signing next summer, Donovan Mitchell went in the other direction.
On Tuesday, the Cavaliers guard reached a four-year, $273 million contract extension with the organization that includes a player option for the 2030–31 season and a full trade kicker. ESPN first reported the news of Mitchell’s new deal.
Had Mitchell waited until next summer like Jokić, he would have been eligible to sign a five-year deal worth $353 million, according to ESPN.
Mitchell’s new contract has no bearing on the money the Cavaliers can offer James because it doesn’t start until the 2027–28 season. But with Mitchell’s deal done, the attention turns to James Harden, who recently declined a $42 million player option for the upcoming season. Harden is an unrestricted free agent, but is working on a long-term deal with the Cavaliers. He could take less money, which would leave more for James to have a third and likely final stint in Cleveland.
