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A new Denver Nuggets report may have revealed the real reason why Nikola Jokic passed on signing a supermax extension for a second straight summer. And it may be because he knows 2026-27 will be his last good chance to make a run at a championship with Jamal Murray.
The Nuggets are a year away from a potential doomsday event for their franchise. The greatest player in team history, by far, has a player option next summer that he could exercise. While he has stated on many occasions that he wants to finish his career in Denver, another short playoff run might make him rethink that stance.
That is why most around the sport believe he again pushed talks on a new multi-year supermax extension until next summer. So he can see if Nuggets management can make the moves necessary to put together a serious threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the West.
Jamal Murray’s contract is hindering Denver Nuggets roster improvements
Denver Nuggets
Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Unfortunately, the Nuggets are stuck because of a bloated payroll with contracts other teams aren’t interested in taking. The worst of them is the three years and $160 million still owed to Murray. While the one-time All-Star had a career year in 2025-26, Heavy’s Sean Deveney explained this week why his $51.9 million annual average is a big problem if Jokic were to sign a supermax deal.
“The Nuggets will almost certainly re-sign Nikola Jokic next year, at the massive five-year, $350-360 million number that he’s eligible to get. That will give Denver something close to the situation that the Boston Celtics felt they had to avoid when they traded away Jaylen Brown last month–with Jamal Murray at $50 million next season, $54 million the following year, and $57.5 million in 2028-29, the Nuggets will be at about 70% of the salary cap for two players,” Deveney wrote.
Two massive max deals created a built-in ceiling for the Celtics’ flexibility to improve the roster. So they moved the five-time All-Star when his value was at its highest after an MVP-caliber year. And Deveney claims most around the NBA expect Murray’s days in Denver to be done once his teammate gets that $300-plus million extension.
Did Nikola Jokic pass on a supermax deal for one more title run with Jamal Murray?
Denver Nuggets
Apr 6, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) and center Nikola Jokic (15) in the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
“That’s why there has been chatter around the league that a Murray trade could be an inevitable part of the Nuggets’ future,” he wrote.
All reports suggest that Jokic is a great and loyal teammate. There is no doubt he has a lot of love for Murray. Because, for all his greatness, he needed the guard to have a memorable playoff run in 2023 to help push the franchise over the title hump.
Jokic is probably fully aware that once he signs that supermax deal, his pairing with Murray will end soon after. So it is very possible that Jokic’s loyalty to Murray and some of his other teammates — like Aaron Gordon — made him push back the inevitable so they can make one last title run together in 2026-27.