Nikola Jokic appears positioned to sign the richest contract in NBA history with the Denver Nuggets, but the three-time MVP is expected to wait until the summer of 2027 to complete the deal.
Jokic will be eligible for a five-year contract worth approximately $359.5 million next summer, according to ESPN. The agreement would surpass every previous NBA contract in total value and could keep Jokic in Denver into his late 30s.
The possibility of Jokic signing the deal is more than speculation based on his eligibility.
Jokic publicly addressed his future with Denver in July and said his plan is to sign next summer and spend the remainder of his career with the Nuggets. He reiterated that his preference is to remain with the only NBA franchise he has played for.
Waiting carries an enormous financial benefit.
Jokic is already eligible for a four-year maximum extension worth approximately $278 million. By declining to sign that extension and waiting until 2027, he can become eligible for the five-year deal worth $359.5 million. ESPN reported that Denver understands the financial reasoning behind his decision.
The potential contract could also include a no-trade clause, according to reporting cited by theScore from The Athletic’s Sam Amick. The additional guaranteed season and ability to secure a contract extending further into his career are significant reasons for Jokic to wait.
Jokic remains under contract with Denver for the 2026-27 season and has a player option for 2027-28. He would need to decline that option to enter free agency and sign the new five-year maximum contract with the Nuggets.
The financial commitment reflects Jokic’s continued importance to the franchise.
He averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists in 65 games during the 2025-26 season. Jokic led the NBA in both rebounds and assists per game and finished second to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in MVP voting for the second consecutive season.
Denver, however, was eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games during the first round of the playoffs after finishing third in the Western Conference. The early elimination raised questions about whether the Nuggets had enough around Jokic to make another championship run.
Those questions have continued entering the 2026-27 season. Denver lost Peyton Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr. during the offseason while adding DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Bagley III and other pieces around a core still led by Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
Jokic’s contract decision, though, has consistently appeared to be driven primarily by timing and finances rather than a desire to leave Denver.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently said Jokic is expected to sign the historic contract in 2027, while ESPN’s Bobby Marks has highlighted the significant financial commitment Denver already has to its core.
If Jokic follows through on the plan he publicly outlined, the summer of 2027 will bring a five-year deal worth approximately $360 million and another long-term commitment between the Nuggets and the greatest player in franchise history.
