Nikola Jokic did not waver on his future with the Denver Nuggets after Thursday’s Game 6 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves ended the club’s postseason run in the first round. “I still want to be a Nugget forever,” the center told reporters at Ball Arena.
Pressed on whether that stance includes signing an extension this summer, the three-time MVP repeated the same line. Jokic has two seasons left on his current contract, including a 2027-28 player option. Without a new deal by October, he would enter the 2026-27 campaign on an expiring contract. A full maximum extension projects to start at 35 percent of the 2027-28 salary cap and is estimated at roughly $285 million over four years, based on a $165 million cap projection and a 10 percent annual raise.
Against Minnesota, Jokic nearly averaged a triple-double—25.8 points, 13.2 rebounds and 9.5 assists—but shot 44.6 percent from the floor and 19.4 percent from three, both well below his season norms. Denver was outscored during his minutes, a rare occurrence by his standards.
The organization is widely expected to put another max offer in front of its franchise player. What remains unclear is how the roster will look around him. Jokic acknowledged that the team appears “far away” from championship contention after the early exit, yet said improvement starts with him and deflected questions about potential offseason moves. “That’s not my decision,” he said. “Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all get fired.”
Head coach David Adelman, who completed his first full season in charge, will also face scrutiny after losing two of his first three playoff series. Jokic, however, defended Adelman. “It’s not his fault we couldn’t rebound. It’s not his fault we couldn’t catch the ball very well,” Jokic stated. “There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It’s all us.”
Injuries compounded Denver’s problems. Wing Peyton Watson (hamstring) missed the entire series, and forward Aaron Gordon (calf) was sidelined for three games. Jokic noted the absences but credited the Timberwolves, who also played without several key contributors, including Anthony Edwards from midway through Game 4. “Did we need Gordon and Watson? Definitely,” Jokic said. “But if they are not here, we cannot think ‘if, if, if.’”
The Nuggets now enter an offseason filled with questions—except, at least for the moment, about their superstar’s desire to stay in Denver.
Source: Hoops Rumors
