Nikola Jokic didn’t even make it through the offseason before the rumor mill started spinning in a way Nuggets fans probably expected, but maybe not this fast.
The latest noise came from an unexpected place: Panathinaikos owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos, who said in a sit-down interview with the Euro Insiders that Jokic is the player he dreams of signing. Giannakopoulos went a step further, saying he made a serious push for Jokic this year and even tried to buy out his last year with Denver.
“The one player which is a dream of mine and I haven't signed, I will sign next year,” Giannakopoulos said. When the hosts tried to guess who he meant, he answered, “It's Jokic!
The best basketball player in the world!” He then added, “I did make a very serious proposal this year, both to his team and to him.
I got a rejection. I know that he has one more year contract... this was his last year, I tried to buy out his last year.”
He also described the response he got in blunt fashion: “ It took a few seconds to say, who? Greece? Bye, maybe later,” Giannakopoulos said.
Giannakopoulos said the offer was real, not a joke. But unless someone is prepared to go well beyond the projected $359.5 million over five years, this dream scenario is going nowhere for now.
Jokic has said he wants to stay in Denver, and there’s no reason to think that’s changed. The longer he waits to sign an extension, though, the more money he becomes eligible for, which appears to be a major part of the delay.
Still, the backdrop in Denver is what will keep fueling the speculation. The Nuggets have obvious roster-building problems, and those issues are only going to get tougher if there isn’t a major reset. The article points to the kind of pressure that eventually pushed Giannis Antetokounmpo out of Milwaukee, where the Bucks chose to reset and rebuild and sent him to a destination where he’s likely to extend his contract with the Miami Heat.
That doesn’t sound like Jokic’s situation. But the question hanging over Denver is obvious: how long can he stay with a roster that isn’t good enough to chase a championship?
That’s why the chatter isn’t going away. If the Nuggets stumble or get hit by injuries early again this season, the rumors about Jokic declining his player option and teaming up elsewhere will only get louder.
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Peyton Watson Just Became Part Of A Bigger Nuggets Decision
The Cavaliers pause on Jonathan Kuminga has shifted their attention toward a different young wing with Denver ties, and Peyton Watson suddenly sits in the middle of a decision that could matter well beyond Cleveland. The Nuggets restricted free agent has drawn interest as a potential sign-and-trade target, with Cleveland looking at him as a fit for a wing spot it wants to upgrade.
To get there, the Cavaliers are also working the math, including possible ways to clear cap room by shopping veteran Dennis Schrder. For Denver, that makes Watson more than just another name in the rumor cycle, because any meaningful movement now has to account for whether the Nuggets are willing to engage on a deal for a player they still control. [Read more 🡒]
Jokic And The Nuggets Get An Early Test Fans Will Obsess Over
The Nuggets will get their first real measuring stick of the new season on Oct. 22, when they open in Oklahoma City against the Thunder at Paycom Center. It is the kind of early matchup that immediately tells you something about where a team stands, and this one brings together the last two MVPs in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic while Denver tries to put last seasons first-round exit behind it.
For the Nuggets, the timing makes it even more intriguing because the roster they bring back looks largely familiar, with the core intact as they head into another title chase. One subplot still hanging around the margins is Peyton Watsons contract situation, but the bigger picture is the same one that will follow Denver from opening night on: whether this group can start sharper and avoid letting a strong regular-season base turn into another short postseason stay. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets Face A Peyton Watson Standoff With Real Wing Depth Stakes
The Nuggets are still working through a delicate summer negotiation with Peyton Watson, and the broader issue goes beyond one contract number. Denver has put a deal in the range of $16-18 million per year on the table for the restricted free agent, a figure that signals how much the team values his length, defense and potential on the wing. For a roster that has spent years chasing enough reliable depth around its core, keeping Watson in the fold has taken on real roster-building significance.
There is still a path where the talks drag on and the sides never fully line up, which would leave Denver juggling both short-term rotation needs and long-term control of the player. Watson's market is not just hypothetical, either, with Cleveland emerging as a noteworthy suitor if the Nuggets decide to explore a sign-and-trade. For Denver, the stakes are obvious: either secure a young wing before the situation hardens, or risk watching a useful piece become part of a much messier decision down the road. [Read more 🡒]