The story will be around all year. Or maybe two. Will Nikola Jokic sign his record contract extension with the Denver Nuggets next offseason, like he says he will, or will he push it off another year to gain even more extra millions? The bigger question should be whether or not Jokic cares about the damage he is doing to his legacy by having such a large contract take up so much of the expected salary cap. He deserves the money, but the roster-building limitations could be too much to overcome, and he could cap himself at one NBA title.
We all know the Nuggets' title window is rapidly coming to a close. The Nuggets are slowly turning into the Milwaukee Bucks, but their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, was shipped out of town for a rebuild of the franchise. The Nuggets are probably not going to go down that road. Jokic has said many times that he wants to stay in Denver. So the Nuggets need to build a roster that can compete around him. But his own contract helps put the Nuggets into a bind.
Nikola Jokic is already getting a preview of things to come
The Nuggets are already facing the bind this season. Their offseason free-agent additions have all signed for league-minimum deals, which is all the Nuggets can offer as a violator of the NBA's first-apron luxury tax threshold. But the Nuggets are violating the second apron, too, further limiting their roster-building abilities.
It's a substantial difference. For example, if Jokic were making the 30% max contract rate instead of the 35% supermax, the Nuggets would be on the hook for $8.43 million less this year. They'd be comfortably under the second apron. And then a salary dump of Zeke Nnaji could put the Nuggets under the first apron, opening more roster flexibility. It would give the Nuggets some breathing room to work with.
But at the moment, that doesn't appear to be the road Jokic is going to choose next year. It's his own choice, of course. By all means, make the money while you can. But does he care about his legacy and championships?
Jokic will have to help himself a little for his legacy
Legendary former Nuggets player and coach Dan Issel spoke the words that I think all Nuggets fans can relate to.
"I just hope he gets the help in the next year or two because he deserves to be more than just a one-time champion," said Issel in an interview with the DNVR Sports crew.
Some of that help may have to come from Jokic himself. It's unfortunate that this is one of the situations the second-apron has helped to create. But the trend has been set by Jalen Brunson a couple of years ago, and now Victor Wembanyama followed suit this year.
We all want more championships, especially for the best player to ever lace up a pair of shoes with the Nuggets. But by holding out for more and more money each season, Jokic is potentially doing a big disservice to his future championship chances.
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