Source: sports.yahoo.com
Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets’ star center, is reportedly set to sign what could become the largest contract in NBA history, according to insider Kevin O’Connor.
“Every source within the league I’ve spoken to over the past few years and in recent weeks echoes the same sentiment: no one seriously expects Jokic to leave Denver. Financially, it also makes sense to wait—next summer, he will be eligible to sign a five-year deal worth $360 million, the biggest in NBA history. However, the fact that he wants to stay should not allow Denver to passively lose another year of his prime. The Nuggets must provide him with teammates capable of turning this anticipated contract extension into another championship title,” O’Connor wrote.
Jokic could sign a four-year contract worth $267 million with another team, while Denver can offer approximately $278 million over the same period. Teams in states without income tax could narrow this gap even after accounting for taxes on away games. Denver’s main financial advantage lies in the roughly $82 million guaranteed for the fifth year of the contract. If the Nuggets fail to reestablish themselves as championship contenders, playing for a team with better title prospects might justify Jokic accepting a lesser financial package,” O’Connor added in his column for Yahoo Sports.
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