MINNEAPOLIS -- In the disappointing aftermath of a surprising first-round playoff exit, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic made clear that his long-term view of a one franchise NBA career remains unchanged.
"I still want to be a Nugget forever," Jokic said.
Jokic, 31, has two years and $121.9 million remaining on his contract, but the second season is a player option, meaning Jokic is under team control only through next season, typically generating a level of unease around an NBA megastar.
But Jokic will be extension eligible this summer for up to four years and around $293 million, giving the franchise and its mid-prime cornerstone a chance to pledge a long-term recommitment to each other. Jokic was asked about his plan to sign it and repeated, "I still want to be a Nugget forever."