DENVER — Nikola Jokić said Monday that he intends to sign a contract extension with the Nuggets next summer, reiterating his desire to remain in Denver as the team opened its preseason preparations.
The three-time NBA MVP delivered the answer at media day with a familiar qualification: “If they want me.” The comment was a joke, but the timing he described was consistent with the plan he had outlined earlier in the offseason.
Jokić has not signed that future extension. His comments address his intention, rather than announce a completed agreement or establish the exact value of a contract that still depends on future financial figures.
Waiting until next summer would allow a longer agreement than the extension available this year. The Denver Gazette reported in July that the later timing could produce a five-year deal, with the final amount dependent on the salary cap and the terms eventually negotiated.
That distinction matters when evaluating the delay. Jokić has publicly expressed a wish to spend his entire career with Denver, and his decision to wait was presented as a contract-timing choice rather than a request to leave.
Nuggets executive Ben Tenzer expressed confidence Monday that the situation would be resolved. “We have no concerns,” he said.
Jokić, 31, averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists last season. Denver won 54 games and finished third in the Western Conference before losing to Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs.
The Nuggets’ most recent championship remains their 2023 title. Their immediate work is to prepare for another season around Jokić, while the longer-term contract discussion remains on the timetable he has described.
His earlier comments in July also included confidence in Denver’s front office. Monday’s appearance reinforced that position without changing the underlying status: there is a stated intention to extend the relationship, but the signature and final terms will have to wait until the next negotiating window.
Sources: Jokic Current; Jokic Background.
