The Denver Nuggets’ decision to lock up center Nikola Jokic was a good one, as the center has easily become the face of the franchise.
A team on the rise, the Denver Nuggets ensured their climb back to relevance would continue, agreeing to a five-year, $148 million deal with center Nikola Jokic, according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Since entering the league in 2015, Jokic has quickly developed into one of the best big men in the game, flashing a skill-set unseen by even the wisest of NBA historians.
As arguably the best passing seven-footer in basketball, everything the Nuggets do on the offensive end runs through Jokic, with highlight-level passes become the norm in the Mile High city.
In 2017-18, Jokic showcased the full range of his powers, averaging 18.5 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game.
Gifted young center Nikola Jokic is poised to accept a five-year, $148M maximum contract to stay with the Denver Nuggets shortly after midnight, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2018
Denver failed to make the playoffs on the last day of the regular season, but this is clearly a team looking for more.
The roster could still use some tweaking, but in Jokic, the Nuggets have their franchise centerpiece locked in for the next half-decade and will surely look to build around him as they attempt to scale the Western Conference playoff picture.