DHJ Quick Take
- Loyalty Amid Defeat: Following a first-round exit against the Timberwolves, Nikola Jokić reaffirmed his desire to play for the Nuggets “forever” despite the disappointing end to the 2025-26 season.
- Blunt Assessment: The three-time MVP provided a candid reality check on the team’s current state, admitting that they are presently “far away” from being true championship contenders.
- Imminent Contract Milestone: While Jokić is technically under team control for only one more guaranteed season, he becomes eligible this summer for a massive four-year extension worth approximately $278 million.
After the Denver Nuggets lost Game 6 of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, ending their 2025-26 season, Nikola Jokić spoke about his future with the franchise.
While the three-time MVP said he wants to stay with the Nuggets “forever,” he admitted that the team is “far away” from winning a championship.
“I still want to be a Nugget forever,” Jokić said. “We just lost in the first round. I think we are far away [from title contention].”
Jokić has two years and $121.9 million remaining on his contract, but the second season is a player option, meaning the superstar center is under team control only through next season. Jokic will be extension eligible this summer for up to four years and around $278 million.
“I still want to be a Nugget forever,” Jokić said. “I needed to play better. I must play better. I think I was getting in the rhythm from the third game, but I needed to play much better.”
Jokić averaged 25.8 points, 13.2 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game in the Timberwolves series while shooting 44.6% from the field, a brutal 19.4% from beyond the arc and 93.0% from the free-throw line. He had 23 turnovers in six games.
The Nuggets won the 2023 championship against the Miami Heat in six games. Since then, they have lost in the second round of the playoffs twice and the first round once.
An eight-time All-Star, Jokić finished the regular season averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game. He’s an MVP finalist. When a reporter asked him if the Nuggets need to make roster changes this offseason, Jokić said, “That’s not my decision to be honest. Definitely if we were in Serbia, we would all get fired.”
Jokić has been in the NBA since 2015. He holds career averages of 22.2 points, 11.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game.
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