Draymond Green couldn’t resist tossing a little gasoline on the Nikola Jokic conversation.
With the NBA schedule now out and the Warriors set to meet the Nuggets on Christmas Day, Green used a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show to float the kind of idea that always gets people talking: Jokic in San Francisco.
“Got the Joker coming into Dub Nation, San Francisco,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show. “There’s been a lot of talk about Joker in San Francisco as of late, I’ve been reading. I’m sure they’ll be a ton of talk by then, by Christmas Day, depending on how the teams are doing.”
That line lands in the middle of an offseason that already has plenty of Jokic noise around Denver. The Nuggets still don’t have an extension in place for their three-time MVP, and Jokic is heading into the final year of his current contract for the 2026-27 season. He’s then set to enter talks on a new deal in the 2027 offseason, whether that ends up being an extension with Denver or a path to free agency.
For now, Jokic hasn’t given any public hint that he’s planning to leave. He has been clear multiple times when asked about his contract situation that he’s committed to Denver, while still leaving his options open.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, have shown no interest in exploring trade talks involving Jokic. Any chatter about him landing elsewhere is coming from the outside, not from Denver’s front office. Green’s comments fit right into that lane: the kind of speculation that gets tossed around even when the team at the center of it has no intention of making it happen.
And that’s the reality hanging over this whole situation. Until Denver locks in Jokic long term, the questions aren’t going away. There’s no sign a deal is coming immediately, which means the Nuggets could spend the season hearing their franchise star tied to other teams whether they like it or not.
Green’s remarks may only be the opening act. If Denver stumbles during the season or finishes another postseason run on a sour note, the conversation around Jokic’s 2027 free agency could get louder in a hurry.
Around the league, that’s the kind of talent teams dream about chasing if he ever reaches the market. So even without any real indication of movement from Denver, the speculation is likely to keep building.
Barring something unexpected, the Nuggets still appear on course to work out a long-term agreement with Jokic when the time comes. It may not happen this offseason, but based on how both sides have handled the situation, a new supermax deal still looks like the most likely ending next summer.
Until that deal is signed, though, the trade chatter isn’t going anywhere. Nuggets fans may have to sit through a long stretch of it.
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