Jokic Willing to Play for Nuggets His Entire Career, Plans to Sign Next Summer

BELGRADE, Serbia (CNA) - Nikola Jokic, a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), stated in his home country of Serbia today that he is willing to play for the Denver Nuggets his entire career, but is not in a hurry to sign a new contract.

Reuters reported that Jokic revealed to the media, "My plan is to sign next summer and stay in Denver until the end of my career. I hope to stay in Denver always, so I will probably complete the extension next year... My wish is to play the rest of my career in Denver."

Jokic represented Serbia today in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers held in Belgrade, playing against Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this game, he recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, leading his team to a 94-81 victory.

According to ESPN, in the summer of 2027, Jokic will be eligible to sign a supermax contract worth $359.5 million over five years; if realized, this would be the highest-value contract in NBA history.

Therefore, Jokic, 31, decided not to accept the current available four-year, $278 million maximum contract extension.

In the 2025-2026 season, Jokic played 65 games, averaging 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and a career-high 10.7 assists. This marked his second career season averaging a triple-double, and he also led the league in rebounds and assists.

Jokic, who won MVP three times in 2021, 2022, and 2024, led the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA championship.

The Nuggets finished the 2025-2026 regular season with a 54-28 record, securing the third seed in the Western Conference. However, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Compiled by Liu Wen-yu) 1150707

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