Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić has one guaranteed season left on his contract. Matthew Stockman / Getty ImagesJuly 6, 2026 Updated 5:26 pm EDTDenver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić told reporters in Belgrade, Serbia, on Monday that he plans to re-sign next summer and still intends to spend his entire NBA career in the Mile High City.The 31-year-old three-time MVP has been consistent with this sort of messaging for years, including his statement in late April that he wanted to be “a Nugget forever.” Yet as league sources close to Jokić explained, he wants to wait on his next contract to add another year of max money (approximately $80 million) to his deal. He has one guaranteed season left on his contract, with a player option worth $62.8 million for the 2027-28 season.A five-year deal with the Nuggets signed a year from now would run through the 2031-32 campaign, with Jokić turning 37 years old midway through the final season. Per sources, the chance to get that sort of payday in his late 30s is a significant factor in this decision.What happens to the Nuggets now?Dave DuFour, Esfandiar Baraheni and moreIf Jokić signed this offseason, his deal would run through the 2030-31 season. League rules permit him to sign a four-year, $278 million extension now (or a three-year, $214 million extension if he picks up the $62.8 million player option for next season).