Vlatko Cancar didn't play much for the Denver Nuggets during his NBA career, but he formed a great friendship with Nikola Jokic while in Denver. The two remain close today, so it was fitting that Cancar was asked about a scenario involving Jokic's future, and he gave the perfect answer that should help quell any fears that Jokic won't sign his max-contract extension this summer.
Cancar was interviewed by Andrej Miljkovic of Ekipa, and it was a very candid interview about his year after the Nuggets and his friendship with Jokic and Luka Doncic. Cancar says he still talks to Jokic "a lot," and the interviewer lobbed him a fun one about the possibility of Jokic and Doncic pairing up to play one day in the future. He left the door open for it, but it wouldn't be soon in Cancar's opinion.
"In my opinion, Nikola Jokic himself will never leave Denver," Cancar said.
Nuggets fans hope you're right, Vlatko. Jokic is eligible to sign his extension as soon as the NBA Finals end, and the Nuggets and Nuggets fans are hoping it's a mere formality.
Thankfully, Jokic really loves Denver
It's a really good thing that Jokic loves it in Denver, because the Nuggets situation could be a huge mess if the team goes cheap and ducks the luxury tax. The Nuggets are already brushing up against the NBA's second-apron tax, and re-signing Peyton Watson will put them way past that threshold.
Honestly, Jokic would be well within his rights to see what the Nuggets plan to do this year and see how they want to build around him for the next couple of years. Jokic said it himself that the Nuggets "weren't close" to the level needed to compete for a championship after the Nuggets first-round exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jokic will be entering his player option year after next season, and that could give Jokic a chance to test the free agency waters after the 2026-27 season if he really wants. But it doesn't seem like that is the scenario Nuggets fans will have to fear. Jokic has never put that out there, and he is incredibly loyal, almost too loyal, perhaps.
Cancar left the door cracked open, however
Cancar did say he thought that if Jokic ever left Denver, it would be at the end of his career, to play one season with Luka, probably on a minimum contract. That could be a possibility, and would probably be really fun for Jokic, but that would be way down the road.
First is the max extension that would pay Jokic $214 million for three years, or $278 million for four. Jokic needs to get that signed early to put all of this speculation to rest.
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