If there’s one player in the NBA who has proven to be the most valuable over the past five years, it’s Nikola Jokic. The Joker has consistently turned heads with his brilliant play for the Denver Nuggets, night in and night out. But fans in the Mile High City are holding their breath after the news that dropped about him earlier today.
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It was reported that the 30-year-old Serb will not seek a contract extension with the Nuggets this summer. As a result, negotiations regarding his future have been pushed to the summer of 2026. The silver lining is that Jokic signed a five-year deal back in 2022, so he remains under contract with Denver for the foreseeable future.
But that hasn’t stopped some from fearing the worst. The absolute nightmare scenario is a Denver squad without the best player in the league. One person urging the organization to get the deal done is Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett. The Big Ticket voiced his frustration about the situation on his Instagram Stories.
“Oh snap…the Hellll…awwww shhh…Denver, what y’all doing?” asked KG, as he shared a graphic of the news. The Celtics legend’s shock is justified, especially as far as Nuggets fans are concerned. If there’s anyone on the roster Denver should go out of their way to keep, it’s Jokic. That said, Garnett should also consider the bigger picture.
KG on IG pic.twitter.com/j0H2USPBF8
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) July 10, 2025
The Denver Post released a story today that pulled back the curtain on why Jokic is waiting until 2026 to begin extension talks. The outlet smartly discovered that the Joker could tack on another season, and an additional $80 million, if he signs the extension next year. If word of that reached Garnett, he probably wouldn’t hide his approval. Jokic is proving to be an MVP in business as well.
Not to mention, Denver is still in pretty good shape considering the tumultuous 2024–2025 campaign they endured. Right before the postseason, the team fired head coach Mike Malone in a bold attempt to maximize their playoff chances. The Nuggets won a thrilling opening-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games but fell in the conference semifinals to the eventual 2025 champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in another Game 7.
The 2025–2026 Nuggets, though, will have some additional firepower around Jokic. The franchise traded away Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson and added size by acquiring Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings. Bruce Brown Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. were picked up in free agency.
As for Jokic, it doesn’t seem like he’s planning to leave Denver anytime soon, despite the team owner hinting at the possibility of trading away their best asset. The big Serbian already delivered them a title in 2023 and came just a few unlucky breaks away from reaching the Finals in both 2024 and 2025. Let’s see if 2026 turns out to be the year of the Joker once again.
