Nikola Jokic had a triple-double in the World Cup qualifying match today that Serbia played in vs Bosnia, a 94-81 win. Jokic was dominant with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists to go with two steals and a block, while newly minted Milwaukee Bucks forward Nikola Jovic had 32 points and made seven three-pointers.

And yet, that wasn’t the biggest story for Denver Nuggets fans, who heard Jokic address his NBA future when asked.

“My idea is to sign next summer and stay in Denver for the rest of my life (career),” Jokic shared in Serbian to reporters covering the World Cup qualifier.

Jokic continued: “My idea and my wish is to stay in Denver. I will most probably sign next summer. The decision is strictly business oriented. My wish is to stay and play for Denver the rest of my career. It’s on them if they want me.”

That last part was said jokingly with a smile as Jokic walked off, and that’s a good thing. Jokic seems very at ease about this entire situation. He has never once wavered from his statement that he would like to be a Nugget forever, and that consistent messaging is helpful.

This was also Jokic’s first time speaking on the subject of his contract publicly since reports surfaced that he was considering not signing a contract extension at the earliest opportunity. Many reports, rumors, and speculation can point to different perspectives, but Jokic always has an opportunity to set the record straight, and he did.

So, is that it? Should Nuggets fans just be comfortable with that? Yes and no.

On the one hand, Nuggets fans should absolutely be thrilled that Jokic has once again stated a verbal commitment to the Nuggets. Bennett Durando of the Denver Post recently stated that the “Nuggets have remained bullish recently that Jokic doesn’t plan on going anywhere, per team sources” on social media earlier today.

Sam Amick of The Athletic also reported that Jokic “wants to wait on his next contract to add another year of max money (approximately $80 million) to his deal.” That new contract would equal a projected five-year, $359.5 million contract, the largest in NBA history, if signed.

There’s something very reasonable about waiting around to sign that kind of deal if it’s offered to him, and the Nuggets seem more than happy to grant that request if it’s what Jokic and his representation wants. There will be future NBA contracts signed that exceed Jokic’s deal, but $359.5 million (about $71.9 million per year) is a truly eye-popping amount.

If that is truly all Jokic is waiting for – and he’s given zero indication that he’s waiting for any other reason – then that’s great. He will sign a new five-year deal, likely complete that contract, and spend 17 seasons in the NBA as a member of the Nuggets before considering retirement. What a career arc that would be, very reminiscent of Tim Duncan with the San Antonio Spurs and Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks.

On the other hand, there’s a four-year $278 million deal on the table right now. That’s a lot of money too.

The Nuggets last season presented Jokic with a three-year deal worth north of $200 million annually. Jokic and his representation declined the deal and wanted to wait another year. This offseason, the Nuggets presented Jokic with a four-year contract extension at the highest number of years and dollars they could offer. That appears to have been declined too.

The difference between a four-year extension and a five-year extension is about $80 million in guaranteed money. That matters, but what’s never really explained is why the Nuggets would suddenly stop deciding they wanted to pay Jokic more money at that stage of his career if Jokic was still interested in playing.

Perhaps by locking in the five-year deal, Jokic and his representation guarantee the largest possible amount, but there’s nothing preventing Jokic from signing additional contracts with the Nuggets in the future. Maybe he doesn’t want to do it that way though, and the Nuggets are just going to have to live with that reality.

Unfortunately for Denver, top five players going into contract years are fairly risky propositions. Recent examples that came to mind for me were LeBron James in 2009-10 and Kevin Durant in 2015-16. Both players elected to test unrestricted free agency in those years and ultimately changed teams. Those years were also fraught with difficult questions for the organization and the player about the looming contract decisions.

How many times in the last decade has a top five player in the NBA hit unrestricted free agency? Well, over the last 10 years, the only players I can say that have ever been top five for more than a single season are:

  • LeBron James
  • Kevin Durant
  • Stephen Curry
  • James Harden
  • Russell Westbrook
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Kawhi Leonard
  • Anthony Davis
  • Nikola Jokic
  • Joel Embiid
  • Luka Doncic
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Of those 12 players that have reached the highest of peaks during this stretch, only three have changed teams in unrestricted free agency while also being a clear top 10 player: LeBron, Durant, and Kawhi. LeBron went to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, Durant went to the Golden State Warriors in 2016, and Kawhi went to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019.

Since then, no other top tier player has changed teams in unrestricted free agency. Most of the contracts have been completed by then. It’s fairly rare for a top tier player to go to unrestricted free agency in the first place. It’s a feared avenue from most teams, who want to ensure that their future around their star player is as secure as possible.

So, what do the Nuggets (and Nuggets fans) do if Jokic would provide anything other than a verbal agreement? Do they panic and trade him before he has the opportunity to leave? The Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers moved heaven and earth to try to satisfy Durant and LeBron the years prior to their exits, but it didn’t matter. Those players left anyway, and perhaps it was never in the team’s power in the first place.

Are the Nuggets willing to operate in that manner too? Can they go the full season without that certainty? It’s dangerous, difficult, and exceptionally exhausting for a franchise. They will be asked about Jokic’s happiness constantly, and I can already hear David Adelman’s exasperated tone as he discusses Jokic’s contract in a pregame presser on the road for the 12th straight game.

Because everyone wants to know what Jokic will do, why he’s waiting the most amount of time he can wait before making the full commitment. It’s one thing to say it out loud. It’s another to remove all doubt with the actual contract agreement in place.

Only pen to paper will ever get the whispers to stop. It’s human nature, whether Jokic, the Nuggets, or Nuggets fans like it or not.