Luckily for Nuggets fans, Nikola Jokic has never been a superstar who comes with any drama or baggage. He has never so much as even hinted at the idea that he would want to leave Denver, but still. That extension is looming in the offseason, and while we can convince ourselves it’s just a formality, until the ink is dry, there will always be some lingering doubt.
What if the playoffs go poorly? What if the Kroenkes cheap out and anger the three-time MVP? Those are just a couple of examples of things that could impact the Joker’s decision in the coming months, but on Wednesday night, he made a promising statement.
After holding on to beat the Grizzlies, Jokic was asked in his press conference about the prospect of playing with Jamal Murray for his entire career and quickly responded, “I would love it. It’s so good when you know who you’re playing with.”
Over the years, there has been plenty of talk about Jokic never playing with another star and his supporting cast letting him down, but we all know what Jamal did during the title run, and we’ve all watched him step up and have his best season as a pro, by far, being rewarded with his first trip to the All-Star Game.
Jokic and Murray ending their careers as Nuggets would be a dream
It was nice to hear Jokic talk about how much he appreciates his familiarity with Murray and how he wouldn’t change anything if it were up to him. He laughed about how they’ll probably bust out their famous two-man game in the All-Star Game, and elaborated on how Jamal can’t surprise him because they’ve been through it all together.
If Jokic does sign the supermax extension he’s eligible for in the offseason, that will keep him in Denver into the 2030s, while Murray’s deal runs through the end of the 2028-29 season. At that point, Jokic will be 33 and Murray 31, likely entering the latter part of their primes.
Assuming all is still going well with the team and both guys, there’s no reason to think the Nuggets wouldn’t want to keep these two players in town for as long as this run can possibly go on. This has already been the best era of basketball in the history of the franchise, and hopefully, it’s not going to end any time soon.
That’s thanks to Jokic, and to a lesser extent, Murray, above anyone else. Jokic has made his feelings clear, and the organization should do the same when it comes time. In the era of player movement, seeing two Nuggets legends spend their entire careers together with the team that drafted them would be a dream come true.