The Denver Nuggets are sitting at a shaky 3-3 to kick off the 2026 season, and it’s not just the fans watching closely: one NBA executive just flat out said the other 29 teams in the league are “not doing their job” if they aren’t actively thinking about how to get Nikola Jokić on their roster. This isn’t just whispers, folks, this is an executive telling The Ringer’s Howard Beck exactly what’s up with the biggest name in the league.
Denver’s Offseason Was a Total Disaster, Apparently
Remember last season when the Nuggets got bounced in the first round of the playoffs? Yeah, well, their summer moves did absolutely nothing to fix that, according to pretty much everyone. The offseason was “roundly criticized” for not trying to maximize the talent around Jokić. They lost Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade to the Cavaliers, Tim Hardaway Jr. walked in free agency, and Jonas Valančiūnas was waived and stretched. Their big additions? DeMar DeRozan and Marvin Bagley III. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes handed Denver a D-minus for their offseason, tying them for second-worst in the entire league, only ahead of the Clippers’ F grade. Yikes. Even with Watson off to a slow start in Cleveland, that D-minus grade shows you how little faith the league had in Denver’s moves to support their strong trio of Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon.
The Clock is Ticking on a Massive $359.5 Million Decision
Jokić is in the final season of his current contract, and while he said in September he plans to sign a new deal next summer, there’s a huge financial reason for him to wait. He could sign for up to five years and a jaw-dropping $359.5 million if he waits until next offseason. If he were to extend off his current deal right now, he’d be capped at a four-year, $278 million contract. That’s a huge chunk of change to leave on the table, right? But here’s the kicker: waiting also raises the question of just how appealing the Nuggets are actually going to look to him when that offseason decision time finally rolls around. An executive told Beck that because of financial constraints, the team has “struggled to build around him since the championship.” That exec even threw out the possibility, asking, “Do they finally just say: All right, he’s 31 now; do we just pull the trigger because he’s got a huge extension coming up this summer, and then it’s going to be even harder to build around the guy?” That’s a serious question.
Slow Start Has Everyone on Edge
The Nuggets’ 3-3 start isn’t exactly easing anyone’s mind. They’re ranked 16th in offensive rating and a dismal 23rd in defensive rating. Get this: they’re the *only* team at .500 or better with a negative net rating, clocking in at minus-2.9. This team hasn’t finished a season outside the top 10 in offensive rating since Jokić’s rookie year back in 2015-16! That’s a major slide. Look, there’s been zero indication from Jokić’s side that he wants to leave Denver. But the way this season has kicked off, combined with that “disappointing summer” for the franchise’s roster, it just cranks up the volume on all that speculation. It feels like every game, every struggle, is going to add another layer to this brewing drama.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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