When Nikola Jokic plays basketball, it is hard not to feel like you’re witnessing greatness in real time. His dominance is not just measured in MVPs or mind-bending stat lines. Rather, it is felt in the way the Nuggets are never truly out of a game with him on the floor. And yet, even as Jokic continues to define an era in Denver, the franchise around him is wading into another murky offseason filled with calculated risks, cost-cutting, and big question marks.
The Denver Nuggets made noise on the first day of free agency, but not the kind that screams “we’re all-in.” The headliner? Trading away Michael Porter Jr., one of the last standing pieces of their 2023 title core. He was sent to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Cameron Johnson and a 2032 first-round pick.
On the surface, it’s a financial play. Below it, it’s something else entirely: a line in the sand. And while Denver also made a sentimental and necessary reunion with Bruce Brown, they brought in Jonas Valančiūnas for some frontcourt muscle. Unlocking some cap wiggle room in the process, the subtext is getting louder: the Nuggets want contend while ducking the luxury tax. But what does Jokic want?
According to Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective, the Nuggets are expected to offer Jokic an extension soon. But if you’re Jokic, you don’t just take the deal, you ask questions. “When they come to you with the contract offer,” said Windhorst, “I might ask them what their plans are with the salary for the next few years.” That’s not posturing. That’s strategy.
Image Credits: IMAGN
This team is not just playing for today. As Tim MacMahon laid out, “If you stay out of the tax this year, it’s so you can be aggressive next year, right?” The idea being that ducking the luxury tax now would allow Denver to use the full midlevel exception in 2026. That’s a fine theory. But Jokic isn’t playing for 2026. He’s playing for championships…now.
Windhorst, MacMahon, and Tim Bontemps didn’t mince words. Denver is entering a third consecutive offseason banking on internal growth. Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson, Jalen Pickett, maybe one of them pops. But as Bontemps said, “It’s just not an acceptable outcome when you have Nikola Jokic. Like, this isn’t a theoretical situation.” It’s not just about letting good players walk, Jeff Green, and KCP. It’s about what hasn’t followed them in return.
Denver’s margin for error shrinks every time they turn a $40 million player into a $20 million one, or use a valuable draft pick to avoid a tax bill instead of adding playoff-caliber talent. And now, they’re asking Jokic to commit his future without showing him theirs.
While reinforcements have landed, will they be enough to keep Jokic?
To the Nuggets’ front office’s credit, help has finally arrived, and not just in the form of empty promises or speculative upside. As reported by Shams Charania, Denver struck a deal with Sacramento to bring in veteran big Jonas Valanciunas in exchange for Dario Saric. That’s a serious upgrade in muscle, rebounding, and postseason poise. Saric, who barely cracked the rotation last season, was a clear miss. Jonas, meanwhile, gives Denver a physical presence they sorely lacked in their playoff loss to OKC, where the frontcourt was repeatedly overwhelmed.
Even more impactful? Bruce Brown is back in Mile High, on a veteran minimum deal. Yes, that Bruce Brown. The same one who was arguably the Nuggets’ most important player not named Jokic during their 2023 title run. The same guy who could guard three positions, run the offense in a pinch, and close tight games without blinking. Losing him in free agency last summer because of cap constraints was a gut punch. Getting him back on a bargain deal? That’s a massive win.
Add in the Michael Porter Jr., Cam Johnson trade, and you start to see the full picture. Johnson’s a strong floor-spacer, a better positional defender, and far cheaper. With that move, Denver opened up a $14.1 million midlevel exception and created a $16.8 million trade exception serious flexibility for a team that’s spent the last two offseasons financially handcuffed.
So yes, Jokic’s “no help” narrative may finally be losing steam. As NBA vet Eddie A Johnson joked on X:
Well, I guess we can stop saying Jokic has no help now, especially based on mood that it wasn’t covered. . Can’t wait! https://t.co/9GK4UHbmBW
— Eddie A Johnson (@Jumpshot8) July 1, 2025
Denver now sits a comfortable $9.7 million under the luxury tax line. That breathing room is intentional. It allows them to avoid the dreaded repeater penalty and possibly spend more freely next offseason. But it also leaves them with the exact same core concerns: depth, defense, and long-term vision. If Nikola Jokic refuses the extension this summer, it won’t be because he’s looking to leave. It’ll be because he wants answers.
For three straight offseasons, Denver has asked Jokic to carry a slightly less talented roster while they wait for internal development or financial flexibility to kick in. Now, with new management and new tools, this is the moment to act.
Josh Kroenke and the front office have a choice: double down on building a sustainable contender around Jokic, or continue to skate by with “value” signings and long-term asset plays. If they choose the latter, don’t be surprised if the Joker responds with silence at the negotiation table. Because at this stage in his career, Jokic doesn’t need validation. The Nuggets do.
The post Nikola Jokic Urged to Question Nuggets Front Office After NBA Legend’s Lack of Help Dig appeared first on EssentiallySports.