MINNEAPOLIS — In the tough aftermath of a surprising first-round playoff loss, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic made it clear his long-term commitment to the franchise hasn’t wavered.
“I still want to be a Nugget forever,” Jokic said.
The 31-year-old has two years and $121.9 million left on his deal, with the second season as a player option. He’s extension-eligible this summer for up to four more years worth around $278 million, offering both sides a chance to lock in for the long haul. When asked about signing it, Jokic repeated his desire to stay in Denver.
That loyalty doesn’t hide his disappointment, though. The Nuggets won 54 games this season, entered the playoffs as realistic contenders, but fell 4-2 in the first round to an injury-shortened Minnesota Timberwolves team that played without star Anthony Edwards in the final two games.
“We just lost in the first round,” Jokic said. “I think we are far away [from title contention].”
Jokic knows what it takes after leading Denver to the 2023 championship. When asked if changes are needed, he replied, “That’s not my decision, to be honest. Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all get fired.”
This was arguably his toughest playoff series yet. He posted 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in Thursday’s 110-98 Game 6 elimination, but even stronger late-series numbers couldn’t erase a slow start that put Denver in a 3-1 hole. He shot just 39% in the first four games — well below his usual elite standards.
“A lot,” Jokic said when asked how much blame he takes. “I needed to play better. I must play better. I think I was getting in the rhythm from the third game, but I needed to play much better.”
His co-star Jamal Murray also struggled, shooting just 33% for the series against tight defense from Jaden McDaniels. Murray made only 4 of 17 shots in Game 6.
“If you saw the interviews, you know all them were excited to play us,” Murray said. “They got up to play us. They enjoyed playing us. We have to match that. We have to feel the same way about them.”
Jokic and Murray still believe their two-man game can anchor a top offense, as it did with the league’s best 121.2 offensive rating in the regular season.
The focus now shifts to the rest of the roster and coaching. First-year head coach David Adelman took over last season after Mike Malone’s departure.
“It’s not his fault we couldn’t rebound,” Jokic said of Adelman. “It’s not his fault we couldn’t catch the ball very well. There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It’s all us.”
Denver dealt with its own injuries. Peyton Watson missed the entire series with a hamstring issue, and Aaron Gordon was limited by a calf problem. Gordon has battled soft-tissue injuries in recent years.
“They missed a bunch of guys tonight and still won,” Jokic said. “Did we need them? Definitely. But if they are not here, we cannot think if, if, if.”
Supplementary pieces like Cam Johnson (27 points in Game 6 but quieter in other road games) and Christian Braun provided inconsistent help.
“I know it just ended, but I do feel like I can’t really give you a complete answer [on the bigger picture] because it was an incomplete season,” Adelman said, citing the injuries. “It felt like that throughout. It felt like survival.”