Nikola Jokic Declining $212M Extension May Be the Wake-Up Call the Nuggets Need …
Josh Kroenke’s recent remarks underscore why.
From a financial standpoint, Nikola Jokic stands to earn significantly more by waiting. By holding off on a contract extension now, he could sign a four-year, $293.4 million deal next summer—securing over $80 million in additional earnings. But for Jokic, this decision appears to go beyond money.
It’s a calculated move that introduces urgency within the organization.
Refusing the Extension Applies Pressure on the Nuggets to Improve
Following the Denver Nuggets’ Game 7 elimination by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jokic pointed to the team’s most glaring weakness: a serious lack of depth. By not signing the extension, Jokic may be strategically encouraging the front office to address this flaw head-on.
Even without the extension, Jokic remains under team control for at least two more seasons, including 2025-26, with a player option for 2027-28. So while free agency isn’t imminent and no one realistically expects Jokic to leave Denver, his reluctance to commit long-term sends a message.
The mere suggestion that Jokic might be reconsidering his future is enough to spark urgency in owner Josh Kroenke and whoever ultimately replaces Calvin Booth as the team’s permanent general manager.
Dismissing this as an empty gesture would be a mistake. Jokic is a once-in-a-generation talent. The Nuggets likely won’t find another player of his caliber for decades. The organization has a responsibility to make the most of his prime years, and that obligation becomes even more pressing if he doesn’t commit to the extension now.
Josh Kroenke Appears to Need a Push
Ideally, the Nuggets wouldn’t require a subtle show of discontent from Jokic to become aggressive this offseason. Yet Kroenke’s recent statements suggested a plan to “run it back,” implying that any improvement would come from within the existing roster.
That decision would be questionable—if not outright flawed. By the end of their series with the Thunder, Denver couldn’t even count on a six-man rotation. Expecting internal development alone to resolve such issues in a single offseason is unrealistic.
To be fair, Kroenke’s remarks may stem from financial constraints. Assuming Dario Saric and Russell Westbrook opt in, Denver’s most effective financial tool is the mini mid-level exception, worth around $5.7 million. That amount is unlikely to bring in game-changing talent. Historically, it’s led to acquisitions like Reggie Jackson or Saric—serviceable, but not transformative.
The team’s options on the trade front are similarly limited. They can trade just one first-round draft pick (either in 2031 or 2032), leaving them with minimal leverage in the market.
But these financial and asset limitations are not Jokic’s concern, nor should they be the concern of Nuggets fans. While avoiding the second luxury-tax apron may be prudent, the front office must still be held accountable for maximizing the team’s competitive window.
This doesn’t mean making reckless trades or overpaying for bench players. However, it does mean re-evaluating every non-Jokic asset on the roster to assess their true value. Though their options are limited, the Nuggets aren’t without flexibility—unless they choose to act like they are.
Holding onto the hope that their younger players will develop into stars, despite a lack of evidence, only hinders progress.
Ultimately, like Calvin Booth before him, Josh Kroenke may need a dose of reality. While Jokic’s decision to pass on a guaranteed $212.5 million deal is far from ideal, it may be just the jolt needed to remind the organization of its obligations—to Jokic and to its loyal fanbase.
