"I'm gonna sign next year": Jokic commits to Nuggets ahead of 2027 supermax
Nikola Jokic used Nuggets media day to say he will sign an extension with Denver next summer, when a five-year supermax worth about $359.5 million opens up.
Nikola Jokic has settled the one question hanging over the Denver Nuggets before the new season. Asked at the team's media day whether he would sign an extension, he answered plainly: "I'm gonna sign next year," per ESPN, which reported the comments on 28 September 2026.
The line puts a date on a plan that has been in motion since July. That month Jokic passed on a four-year, $278 million extension, per ESPN, choosing instead to wait until the 2027 offseason, when he becomes eligible for a five-year supermax extension worth about $359.5 million, per ESPN.
What Jokic said
Jokic mixed a joke with a commitment. Asked about the extension, his first response was "If they want me," per ESPN. He then made clear the intention was his: "I've been more than open about it. Hopefully, they trust me," he said, per ESPN.
He framed the decision around how he wants his career to be judged rather than around money. "For me, it's legacy. You want to be legendary, and you want to be remembered," Jokic said, per ESPN. Explaining why he wants to stay in Denver, he pointed to the group around him: "Fighting with your friends against other teams is always a fun thing to do," per ESPN.
The front office gave the same message. Ben Tenzer, the Nuggets' executive vice president of basketball operations, said the club has "no concerns" about Jokic's future, per ESPN.
How the contract works
The timing is set by the rules on extensions. Jokic holds a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season, per ESPN, and would decline it in order to sign the five-year deal next summer. The two offers he has been weighing are set out below; they cover different lengths, so the totals are not a like-for-like comparison.
| Option | Length | Reported value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extension offered in July 2026 | 4 years | $278 million | Passed on |
| Supermax eligible in summer 2027 | 5 years | about $359.5 million | Jokic says he will sign |
| Player option, 2027-28 | 1 year | $62.8 million | To be declined for the extension |
Until then, nothing is signed. What changed at media day is that Jokic has now said, in his own words, what he intends to do when the window opens, per ESPN.
Where Denver stands
The commitment comes off a season that ended earlier than the Nuggets wanted. Denver went 54-28 in 2025-26 and finished third in the Western Conference, per ESPN, before losing 4-2 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, per ESPN.
Jokic's own numbers held up across that season. He averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game and finished second in MVP voting, per ESPN.
| 2025-26 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Jokic points per game | 27.7 |
| Jokic rebounds per game | 12.9 |
| Jokic assists per game | 10.7 |
| Jokic MVP voting finish | 2nd |
| Nuggets regular-season record | 54-28 |
| Western Conference finish | 3rd |
| Playoffs | Lost 4-2 to Minnesota, first round |
David Adelman is the head coach for 2026-27, per ESPN. The main addition to the roster this offseason is DeMar DeRozan, the six-time All-Star, who signed a one-year deal with Denver, per NBA.com.
What comes next
The practical effect of media day is that the question of Jokic's future no longer needs to follow the Nuggets through the season. He has said he will sign, the club has said it has no concerns, and the contract mechanics, the player option and the five-year supermax, all point to the same moment in summer 2027, per ESPN. Between now and then, the task for Denver is the one left by the first-round exit against Minnesota.