Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets and reigning back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic have reportedly agreed to a five-year $264 million supermax contract extension, the richest agreement in NBA history, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Charania noted Jokic will have a player option for the 2027-28 season worth $60 million.

Jokic has averaged 26.7 points on 57.5 percent shooting, 12.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists over his past two seasons. He's led the NBA in player efficiency rating each of those years, per Basketball-Reference.

The 27-year-old has also led Denver to the playoffs each of the last four seasons, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2019-20.

Jokic's finest work may have come in 2021-22, however, as he guided Denver to a 48-34 record and the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoffs despite the team missing Jamal Murray (torn ACL) all season and Michael Porter Jr. (lumbar spine surgery) for all but nine games.

Naturally, the Nuggets should want Jokic around for as long as possible. The feeling is mutual, per Jokic's comments to reporters after the season about the potential of signing a supermax extension.

"I would like it, of course, but it’s not something that I’m deciding," Jokic said, per Sam Amick of The Athletic. "I think of course if it’s offered—if (the) offer is on the table—of course I’m going to accept it because I really like the organization and really like the people who work here."

Amick reported that Denver was expected to offer Jokic a five-year, $254 million extension that would make him the highest-paid player in the game.

Expectations will be high in Denver next year with the presumed and hopeful healthy returns of Murray and Porter alongside the franchise cornerstone in Jokic.

But the big man could well be up to the task after two tremendous seasons showcasing why he is arguably the best player in basketball right now.

The Washington Wizards are "nearing" a trade to acquire Monte Morris and Will Barton, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

The Denver Nuggets would receive Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith in return.

Morris is coming off a career year filling in for the injured Jamal Murray, making 74 starts after starting 31 games in his first four NBA seasons. The point guard averaged 12.6 points and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 39.5 percent from three-point range.

The 27-year-old could fill a significant need at point guard for the Wizards, who had few reliable options after trading Spencer Dinwiddie before the February deadline last season.

With Murray set to return, the Nuggets clearly wanted to move Morris while his stock was at its highest.

Barton, a 6'5" guard, should also help Washington after averaging 14.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game last season. The remade backcourt could provide some relief offensively for Bradley Beal if the All-Star remains with the team.

Beal has a $36.4 million player option for 2022-23, although he could also re-sign with the team on a larger deal after reportedly declining the option.

Denver loses some key parts of the rotation, but it adds a reliable two-way guard and NBA champion in Caldwell-Pope. The 29-year-old helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the title in 2020 and averaged 13.2 points last season with Washington.

As a quality perimeter defender who has made 39.5 percent of his threes over the past three seasons, Caldwell-Pope could be a perfect role player alongside Murray and two-time reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic as the Nuggets look to contend in the West.

Smith would presumably fill Morris' role as a backup point guard behind Murray, joining the team with loads of experience:

Ish Smith is poised to become the most traveled player in NBA history when he joins Denver as his 13th team. https://t.co/0uHCvNSStc

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2022

The 33-year-old averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 assists in 28 games off the bench for Washington last season after being traded by Charlotte. Undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2010, Smith is heading into his 13th year in the NBA and has proved he can be a reliable part of a roster.

The Denver Nuggets secured one of the top international prospects available in the 2022 NBA draft Thursday by selecting center Ismael Kamagate with the No. 46 overall pick.

The Nuggets acquired the pick in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

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Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman's Scouting Report

Player: Ismael Kamagate

Position: C

Height: 6'11"

Pro Comparison: Daniel Gafford

Scouting Report: Scouts have caught on to Kamagate's production in France's top league, where the 6'11" center has been posterizing defenders with his long reach and athleticism. He isn't as tough defensively as some of the top NCAA center prospects, but he does offer more ball-handling and shot-making potential.

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Nuggets Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)

Christian Braun, SG/SF: Rookie scale contract

Peyton Watson, SF: Rookie scale contract

Ismael Kamagate, C: Rookie scale contract

Michael Porter Jr., SF: $34.5M (2027)

Jamal Murray, PG: $31.7M (2025)

Nikola Jokic, C: $29.5M (2023)

Aaron Gordon, PF: $21.7M (2026)

Will Barton, SF: UFA: $15M (2023)

Monte Morris, PG: $9.3M (2024)

Jeff Green, PF: $4.5M (2023)

Zeke Nnaji, PF: $3M (2024)

Bones Hyland, PG: $2.7M (2025)

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Free Agents

Bryn Forbes, SG: UFA

Facundo Campazzo, PG: RFA

Austin Rivers, PG: UFA

Vlatko Cancar, SF: RFA

DeMarcus Cousins, C: UFA

Davon Reed, SG: RFA

Markus Howard, PG: RFA

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Kamagate truly came into his own during the 2021-22 season, which was his first full campaign playing for Paris Basketball in the LNB Pro A league.

The 6'11" big man put up averages of 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 65.9 percent from the field despite playing against far older and more experienced players.

The talented Frenchman has big-time potential to produce at the NBA level, although it is unclear if he will come over immediately or opt for more seasoning in France's top league.

Jeff Green is exercising his $4.5 million player option with the Denver Nuggets, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Denver signed the Georgetown product to a two-year, $9 million contract prior to the 2021-22 season.

Green has occupied a sizable role in the team's rotation, especially once Michael Porter required back surgery.

He averaged 10.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 24.7 minutes per game over 75 appearances in the Mile High City. He also shot 52.4 percent from the field and 31.5 percent from beyond the arc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB1LgXxiwcI

His best performance came in a 133-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Jan. 15, when he finished with 26 points, four assists and three rebounds.

There's a reason Green continues to find a home on teams with playoff aspirations.

Because of his floor-spacing, he can cause problems for traditional big men. For his career, he's a 37 percent shooter from beyond the arc in the postseason. Using a relatively consistent shooter at the 5 can be a clear strategic advantage in the playoffs.

Green remains a positive presence on defense, too. According to NBA.com, he held opposing shooters to 31.8 percent from the perimeter, 3.2 percent worse than their usual average. The fact that opponents only 1.6 percent better than usual inside against Green isn't that bad, either, when accounting for his size (6'8").

Porter might take away some playing time in 2022-23 when he returns to full strength, but Green should provide valuable depth for the Western Conference contenders.

The Denver Nuggets reportedly traded forward JaMychal Green and a 2027 first-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday in exchange for the No. 30 selection in the 2022 NBA draft and a pair of future second-round choices.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported full details of the deal, including the expectation for Green to pick up the player option in his two-year, $16.4 million contract for the 2022-23 season:

Green is expected to exercise his $8.2M contract for 2022-2023. Deal gives Nuggets flexibility to use a $6.4M tax mid-level exception or an $8.2M trade exception in offseason. Nuggets expect to be a tax-paying team. Thunder have $31M in cap space to absorb Green salary.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 13, 2022

Green played a limited role for the Nuggets in 2021-22. His 16.2 minutes per game represented his lowest figure since the 2014-15 campaign with the Memphis Grizzlies. He averaged 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds across 67 appearances.

In addition, the 31-year-old University of Alabama product shot just 26.6 percent from three-point range. It represented a sharp decline after he knocked down 39.5 percent of his shots from beyond the arc over the previous three seasons, which gave him value as a stretch 4.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone praised Green in February for making the most of his chances in what became a crowded frontcourt rotation.

"But having a guy like JaMychal Green, who's a pro, who's a man, who's a veteran and who just brings toughness and physicality every single night, and he's, kind of, the head of that second unit, in terms of that defensive frontline, protecting the basket, that's terrific," Malone told reporters.

The Thunder featured a lot of small-ball lineups throughout this past season with Darius Bazley and Isaiah Roby (both 6'8'') often filling the frontcourt spots. Green (also 6'8'') fits that mold, which should make for a smooth transition.

OKC is in the midst of trying to turn a corner in its rebuilding process with a young core that's led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (age 23), Luguentz Dort (23) and Josh Giddey (19), so it's unclear whether Green will stick for the long haul.

That said, the former G League All-Star should provide solid reserve minutes and veteran leadership for the Thunder at a key turning-point part of the rebuild.

The financial flexibility is the biggest part of the deal for Denver as it seeks to make some additions in the offseason after getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Golden State Warriors, who are currently facing the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

It's unlikely the player the Nuggets select at No. 30 will make an immediate impact since the draft class doesn't feature a ton of depth. The draft is set for June 23.

Denver Nuggets President and Governor Josh Kroenke said the team does not have buyer's remorse on the five-year, $172 million contract signed by Michael Porter Jr. last offseason.

"We're concerned about his injuries. We're not concerned about his contract," Kroenke told reporters Friday.

Porter was limited to just nine games during the 2021-22 season after undergoing lumbar spine surgery. He has undergone three different operations on his back during his playing career, dating back to his time at the University of Missouri.

Back issues cost him his entire rookie season and led to him playing limited minutes for much of his second season. Porter has ultimately started just 71 games at the NBA level, but he showed enough promise in those contests that the Nuggets felt comfortable lavishing him with a massive contract extension.

Porter broke out during the 2020-21 campaign, averaging 19.0 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 44.5 percent from three. His combination of 6'10" size, shooting ability and capability of creating for himself off the dribble makes him one of the most unique offensive forces in basketball.

That said, there is a real concern as to whether Porter will be able to realize his full potential; he looked like a completely different, hobbled player before undergoing surgery last season.

If Porter is unable to stay healthy, that contract will become a concern—and fast.

When Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic was informed he had won this season's MVP award for the second straight year, he did so at his horse farm in Sombor, Serbia.

Surprise in Sombor✈️🇷🇸 We flew to Serbia to surprise the BACK-TO-BACK MVP! And, wow, this moment was special. pic.twitter.com/aFvIEDgnSj

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 11, 2022

So it shouldn't come as a major surprise that his post-career plans involve horses. 

"My dream is to move back to Serbia and become a trotting coach after my basketball career," he told TV4's Peter Andersson (h/t Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net). "My country is, unfortunately, the worst in Europe on trotting and there are maybe 150 starting horses, and it is very complicated to start abroad. But it's still great fun."

Jokic also reportedly was at Elitloppet over the weekend, Sweden's famous harness-racing event. 

If he's as good a trotting coach as he is an NBA center, Jokic's second act will be quite impressive. 

Reigning two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic reportedly plans on signing a supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets soon.

According to Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, the superstar center intends to sign a five-year, $260 million extension with the Nuggets when it is offered to him in July.

"Jokic's brothers, Strahinja and Nemanja, met with Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth and assistant GM Tommy Balcetis in recent days to discuss the team's future," Charania and Amick reported. "All sides, sources say, left the meeting aligned in their vision."

Jokic was eligible to hit free agency in 2023, but his return to the Mile High City was widely expected. The Nuggets could offer him more money than any other team, and his agent said in March the 6'11" center was planning to sign a supermax deal.

From Denver's perspective, paying Jokic as much as was allowable under the collective bargaining agreement was a no-brainer.

The 27-year-old showed promise while sharing a frontcourt with Jusuf Nurkic in his first two seasons. Nurkic's trade to the Portland Trail Blazers then allowed him to shine in a prominent role.

Jokic made the first of four straight All-Star appearances in 2018-19 and averaged 20.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists. He has continued to improve since then.

The Serb firmly stamped his place as one of the NBA's elite talents during his first MVP campaign of 2020-21 by putting up 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. He also shot 56.6 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.

The Nuggets finished third in the Western Conference that year despite Jamal Murray missing the final 18 games because of a torn ACL.

With Murray and Michael Porter Jr. both nursing significant injuries, Denver had to lean on Jokic even more in 2021-22, and he still managed to be nearly unstoppable. He averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.5 steals en route to a second straight MVP award.

His 15.2 win shares were the highest in the NBA for the second year in a row, per Basketball Reference.

Jokic's best performance came in a 130-128 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 19. He finished with a triple-double (49 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists) in 42 minutes on the floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKT0FC5mULQ

The Nuggets had already rewarded Murray (five years, $158.3 million), Porter (five years, $172.6 million) and Aaron Gordon (four years, $86.6 million) with major extensions. Jokic was the next in line.

Porter's deal was a tone-setter from ownership as to its willingness to spend, too. The franchise didn't let the 23-year-old even hit restricted free agency before putting a max contract on the table.

With Jokic, the only variable was whether he might want to pursue greener pastures.

Murray's ACL injury and Porter's history of back problems give the Nuggets a somewhat muddied outlook. They're clearly good enough to contend for the playoffs, but they might have already peaked with their trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2019-20.

The door to a championship at least remains open for as long as Jokic is on the roster.

If recent history has shown anything, the NBA's top stars can force their way out if they're determined enough. Re-signing with Denver now doesn't preclude him from requesting a trade within the next few years if he sees greener pastures elsewhere.

That's a bridge the Nuggets will cross if it comes. For now, they can celebrate holding onto a player who's on pace to be the greatest in team history.

Tim Connelly's departure from the Denver Nuggets front office won't have an impact on Nikola Jokic's decision to sign an extension with the organization. 

Per Mike Singer of the Denver Post, Jokic has told Nuggets officials he is "comfortable with the direction" of the team in conversations they have had since it was announced that Connelly is leaving the club.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday that Connelly, who spent the past nine seasons in Denver's front office, agreed to a five-year deal worth more than $40 million and ownership equity to run basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Following Denver's season-ending loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, Jokic was asked about signing a contract extension with the team. 

"I would like it, of course," Jokic told reporters on April 27. "But it's not something that I'm deciding. I think if [the] offer is on the table, of course I'm going to accept it because I really like the organization, I really like the people who works here. I'm in [a] really good relationship with everybody from [the] owner to equipment manager."

Per ESPN's Bobby Marks, Jokic is eligible for the largest contract in NBA history if he re-signs with the Nuggets this summer. 

The Nikola Jokic super max extension in 2022 is projected to be the largest contract in NBA history.

*2023-24: $42.6M
2024-25: $44.9M
2025-26: $48.2M
2026-27: $51.5M
2027-28: $54.8M

Total of $241M

*Based on a salary cap of $121.5M

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 8, 2021

Jokic still has one year remaining on his current deal worth $32.5 million.

The 27-year-old set career highs in scoring average (27.1 points per game) and rebounds (13.8) in 74 starts this season. He also averaged 7.9 assists per game and was named NBA MVP for the second consecutive season. 

Jokic is one of 13 players in league history to win the MVP award in back-to-back years. 

Connelly has been an instrumental figure in building the current Nuggets roster. He was hired as executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager in June 2013 after Masai Ujiri left to join the Toronto Raptors. 

Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Monte Morris were all drafted by the Nuggets under Connelly's watch. He also traded for Aaron Gordon during the 2020-21 season. 

The Nuggets have made the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, including an appearance in the Western Conference Finals during the 2019-20 campaign.     

Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic reportedly won the NBA's 2022 MVP award for the second straight year, beating out Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid for the honor.

Speaking to reporters after Philly's 120-85 Game 5 loss to the Miami Heat on Tuesday, Embiid congratulated Jokic for winning the award, which has yet to be officially announced. He also said "there's no right or wrong" answer between himself, Antetokounmpo, Jokic and even Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker for the honor.

Here's Embiid's full quote on the MVP decision, voters on the award, and focusing on the bigger picture: pic.twitter.com/1H14Rc30qm

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) May 11, 2022

Many believed Embiid, this year's scoring champion, should have been named the league's MVP after he put together the best statistical season of his career. He was also the first center since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000 to be named scoring champion.

The 28-year-old averaged 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 49.9 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from deep in 68 regular-season games. He also averaged 1.1 steals and 1.5 block per game.

Embiid's career year helped the Sixers finish fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 51-31 record. They were technically tied for the second-best record in the East, but the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks earned the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively, because of tiebreakers.

What's even more impressive about Embiid's performance is that he did it without a true No. 2 beside him as Ben Simmons sat out until he was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden. That said, Tyrese Maxey also had a career year and blossomed into a star for the Sixers.

Even 76ers head coach Doc Rivers was disappointed that Embiid didn't win the award, telling reporters before Tuesday's Game 5 that he's unsure what more the 2014 third overall pick could have done"

I don't know if a guy could've done more than he did this year, play without the second-best player [Ben Simmons] all year. Listen, his resume was great. I'm not taking anything away from Jokic either, because he's a hell of a player.

I do think this whole analytic-driven society, world is out of control at times with some of the measures that they use. Like, watch the dang game and decide is what I've always said.

Jokic was still deserving of the honor, especially considering he led a severely depleted Nuggets team, which was without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. for much of the season, to the playoffs.

The 27-year-old also improved upon his numbers from the 2020-21 season, when he won his first MVP award. He averaged a career-high 27.1 points and 13.8 rebounds, in addition to 7.9 assists and 1.5 steals, in 74 regular-season games.

In addition, Jokic shot 58.3 percent from the floor and 33.7 percent from deep and became the first player in NBA history to record 2,000 points (2,004), 1,000 rebounds (1,019), and 500 assists (584) in a single season.

Considering Embiid is just 28 years old, he still has plenty of time to add an MVP trophy to his numerous accolades. Who knows, maybe it will come as early as next season.