Nikola Jokić will be eligible to sign an extension with the Denver Nuggets as of July 6, but as The Stein Line previously reported, a new deal may not happen this summer. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer wrote on Sunday that the front office "has been well aware" that the superstar was considering not signing one this offseason, but they want to know how long it will go on (subscription required).
He said after the 2025-26 season ended that he wanted to be with the Nuggets "forever," and that could still be the case, but maybe this is his way of pressuring the front office. Jokić could still have no real intention of leaving, but this isn't a saga that Denver wants to drag out into next season (he will have until next June to sign one), as he has a $62.8 million player option he could decline next summer, becoming an unrestricted free agent.
Letting it reach that point would be a nightmare.
Denver understandably wants to lock down Jokić's future as soon as possible, but it could remain a question mark, leaving space for other teams to try to wiggle their way in.
Nikola Jokic could enter next season without signing an extension
What if Denver gets off to a rough start? Would that be enough for Jokić to think about requesting a trade before the February deadline? Or what if the Nuggets flame out in the first or second round of the playoffs again? Could that be enough reason for him to think about what his NBA life would look like elsewhere?
Those are questions that no fan wants to think about, ones they didn't think they'd have to worry about, as Jokić isn't your typical NBA superstar. He doesn't sway the front office to do what he thinks is best for the team, and doesn't enjoy basking in the glow of media attention. He prefers to lay low.
Denver can't take that for granted, though, and the front office may now be fully realizing that, as Jokić considers not signing an extension this summer. No one wants to envision a world where he doesn't spend his entire career with the Nuggets, but that would become more real the longer he holds off on signing a new deal.
Hopefully, Jokić will sign an extension with the Nuggets this summer, and no one will have to worry about him maybe going elsewhere. If that doesn't happen, though, get ready for the speculation to reach new heights, as teams are already preparing to make a run at him.
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