Nikola Jokić is on course to sign the richest contract in NBA history — he is simply choosing to wait a year to get it. ONE reports that the Denver Nuggets' three-time MVP is eligible for a five-year, $359.5 million supermax extension, but only once he reaches the 2027 offseason.
According to ESPN, which first reported the numbers, Jokić could instead have signed a four-year, $278 million extension with Denver this summer. He and his camp are said to have passed on that option in favour of the far larger deal available to him next year.
To get there, Jokić has to first decline the player option on the final season of his current contract, worth roughly $62.8 million for 2027-28, and re-enter Denver's books as a free agent under the league's supermax rules reserved for players who qualify on accolades.
ONE frames the projected $359.5 million deal as the largest in league history, ahead of the guaranteed money in recent maximum extensions signed by players such as Jaylen Brown and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The report also notes the new deal is expected to include a no-trade clause.
The delay is being read around the league as a financial calculation rather than any sign of discontent in Denver. Jokić himself has downplayed any drama over the timing, telling reporters recently: "My idea and desire is to stay in Denver. I'll probably sign next year."
Nothing is signed yet — the figures reported are the maximum Jokić would be eligible for under the collective bargaining agreement, and both sides still have a full season to navigate before any extension can be finalised in 2027.
The numbers reflect where Jokić's stock sits after another dominant campaign. He averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists last season, adding to a résumé that already includes three MVP awards and the 2023 NBA championship with Denver.
If the supermax materialises as projected, Jokić's career earnings would approach $724 million, which would make him the highest-paid player in NBA history — a milestone ONE's report frames as fitting for a player Denver has built its entire era around.
For now, the Nuggets and their franchise centre appear aligned on the plan: Jokić stays through this season on his existing deal, and the two sides revisit the record-breaking numbers when the calendar allows it next summer.
