In a dream world, the Los Angeles Lakers would lure Nikola Jokić away from Denver and to the purple and gold with his good friend, Luka Dončić. Or, at the very least, hope that he'd get away from the Nuggets (preferably out of the Western Conference entirely). Technically, that hope is still alive, since he hasn't signed an extension, but what the superstar said on Monday made that outcome a lot less likely, too.
Jokić is representing Serbia in the FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifiers this offseason, and after beating Bosnia and Herzegovina, he outlined what he wants his NBA future to look like.
Nikola Jokić reiterates tonight in Serbia that he intends to be a Nugget for life but also confirms the recent report from @JakeLFischer and me about delaying a contract extension.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 6, 2026
Jokić says that, like last summer, he plans to put the signing off until after the coming season. https://t.co/Yq5p33qnVp
He was eligible to sign an extension with the Nuggets last summer, but because he could have signed for significantly more money this offseason (a four-year, $280 million deal), he put it off. As Jake Fischer recently reported for The Stein Line, though, Jokić was considering not extending this offseason (subscription required), either.
If you consider Jokić a reliable source, he won't sign an extension yet, but not because he's thinking about leaving Denver (he can sign a five-year deal next year). Los Angeles would love nothing more than that, though, as it'd mean not having to deal with him on the Nuggets anymore.
Jokic will continue to be a nightmare for the Lakers
Los Angeles doesn't need to hang a banner with Dončić to win that trade, but it would look bad if it doesn't take advantage of the superstar point guard essentially landing in its lap last year. The Lakers believe that the moves they've made so far this summer around him will help them get there, but the West is only getting better.
Jokić and the Nuggets might not be the biggest threat in the West anymore, but as long as the three-time MVP is around, they're still not a team you want to see in the playoffs. The Lakers, unfortunately, know that more than most.
The Nuggets have failed to make it past the second round since winning the title in 2023, which could be enough to prompt some stars to ask out. After the report broke that Jokić was considering not signing an extension for the second straight summer, it felt like there was a chance he and Denver could be headed down the same path as Milwaukee and Giannis Antetokounmpo (perhaps also leading to Jamal Murray's exit, which would be another plus), but here we are.
Maybe another disappointing exit for the Nuggets next season could push Jokić to do the unthinkable, but he's made it clear he wants to retire with Denver. Knowing how he is, he'd end his career before packing up and moving to another city in the United States. Keep dreaming, though.
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