Denver Nuggets’ 3-Time MVP Jokic Opts Against Extension ... For Now

SportsMoneyDenver Nuggets’ 3-Time MVP Jokic Opts Against Extension

For NowByJack Magruder, Contributor

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights

I primarily write major league baseball, the NFL and the NBA

The ing frenzy at the top of the NBA contract extension market will not include Denver star Nikola Jokic

Jokic, a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player, has told team officials that he will not sign the three-year, $207 million extension that he could have signed Tuesday and which would have kicked in for the 2027-28 season, the Denver Post reported

The Nuggets presented both sides of the extension issue with Jokic in the offseason, the Post reported. “I’m not sure if he’s going to accept it or not because we’re also going to explain every financial parameter around him signing now versus signing later,” Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke said in late June

MORE FOR YOU Decision Could Be a Win for Both Sides By putting off the extension, the Nuggets have the possibility of rostering Jokic for an addition year

Jokic, for his part, could opt to test the free agent market if he feels the Nuggets have not done enough to remain title contenders

The downside to his decision to defer is a potential career-threatening injury, but it seemed a risk worth taking inasmuch as he has played at least 69 games in all of his 10 NBA seasons

He was critical of the Nuggets’ lack of depth ing their 125-93 rout by Oklahoma City in the Game 7 of Western Conference semifinals. “We played for so long in such a way, it’s hard for guys to step up against really good teams,” Jokic said. "It definitely seems the more the rotation and a longer bench, those are the teams who are winning — Indiana, OKC, Minnesota. ” Asked if the current Denver core was good enough to the 2023 title with another, Jokic was blunt. “We didn’t, so obviously we can’t,” Jokic said. “If we could, we would win it

I don’t believe in the ‘if, if’ stuff

So we had an opportunity, we didn’t win it, so I think we can’t. ” Nuggets Look to Answer Jokic’s Concerns The Nuggets have made moves to address those concerns under what Kroenke calls an “unorthodox” front office, where Ben Tenzer is the executive vice president of basketball operations and Jonathan Wallace is the executive vice president of player personnel

Denver traded Michael Porter Jr

For Cam Johnson and signed free agents guard Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr

To veteran minimum contracts

They also traded for center Jonas Valanciunas, but that deal is in limbo because reports indicate Valanciunas has accepted an offer to play with Panathinaikos of the Greek league

The Nuggets’ moves add depth and also create the of financial flexibility that forced them out of the top of the free agent market because of second an concerns a year ago

Best affordable option Russell Westbrook was not enough

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