The Golden State Warriors can probably stop daydreaming about Nikola Jokic.
With Stephen Curry’s contract extension now done, Golden State still has a path to max cap space next summer. Jokic had been the name sitting at the top of that possible free-agent board, helped by the fact that the three-time MVP holds a $62.9 million player option for the 2027-28 season. But the Denver Nuggets star made his intentions clear at media day.
"I’m going to sign next year."
That line does a lot of work. Jokic has not signed an extension with Denver yet, and his future had drawn some attention after the Nuggets were bounced in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves and the front office sent rising young forward Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade. Still, Jokic’s statement cuts through the noise.
There is also a straightforward reason to believe him. Waiting until free agency would allow him to sign the biggest possible deal, one that would run five years and be worth nearly $360 million. For a 31-year-old homegrown star entering his 12th season, that’s the cleaner move.
Barring a stunning collapse, this does not look like a situation headed anywhere else. Denver would have to unravel in a major way for Jokic to change course, and that likely means something as drastic as missing the playoffs. That would be a huge shift for a team that has reached the postseason in each of the past eight seasons.
For the Warriors, the bigger issue may be that the market is already thinning out before next summer even arrives. Unless they move veterans Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and/or Kristaps Porzingis for longer-term money before February’s mid-season deadline, they could head into free agency with the flexibility to reshape the roster around Curry.
But flexibility only matters if the options are there. Jokic appears to be staying put, and plenty of the notable young players from the 2023 draft class have already taken themselves out of restricted free agency. That leaves Golden State with a real possibility: cap space in hand, but a limited pool to spend it on.
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Horfords appeal has always been as much about steadiness and fit as raw production, and that matters even more for a Warriors group trying to balance experience, health, and lineup flexibility. The injury history is part of the conversation, of course, but the early read around the building is that he has arrived in strong shape, which is exactly the kind of update Golden State needed before leaning into what could be a very important season for him and for them. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Camp Battle Next To Draymond Just Got More Intriguing
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There is a real opening there, and not just in the frontcourt. Golden State also has a starting job to sort out at shooting guard, where Brandin Podziemski and De'Anthony Melton are in the mix. For now, the camp spotlight is on how the Warriors balance those battles while trying to find the right fit around Green before the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]