Nikola Jokic is eligible to sign the largest contract in NBA history during the 2022 offseason. The Denver Nuggets are expected to lock up the center through the 2027-28 season.

Denver can give Jokic a five-year extension worth $254 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. It would dwarf the record-setting five-year, $228 million supermax contract that Giannis Antetokounmpo signed in December 2020.

"I would like it, of course," Jokic said about a contract extension, via ESPN. "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."

Jokic’s comments came after another disappointing playoff exit for the Nuggets. The Golden State Warriors eliminated Denver in five games in the first round. Last season, Denver was swept by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the postseason.

Had it not been for Jokic, the Nuggets likely would’ve missed the playoffs altogether. The 27-year-old is expected to be announced as the NBA MVP for the second straight season.

Jokic’s 2022 averages of 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game eclipse the numbers from his 2021 MVP campaign. Jokic finished eighth among all players with 7.9 assists per game.

Even in defeat against Golden State, Jokic averaged 31.0 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Jamal Murray, Denver’s second-best player, has been out since the end of last year’s regular season with a torn ACL. Michael Porter Jr., the Nuggets’ No. 3 scorer, was shut down for good in November with a back injury.

In 2020, Jokic and Murray led Denver to the Western Conference Finals.

Jokic inked a five-year, $147 million extension in the summer of 2018. Since doing so, Jokic has made the All-Star team every year.

Stephen Curry led all NBA players with a $45.78 million salary for the 2021-2022 season. Jokic’s $31.58 million salary was tied for 25th in the league.

Jokic is owed $32.48 million in 2022-2023 in the final year of his current deal.

Damian Lillard owns the largest total contract in the NBA. A four-year extension in 2019 gave the Portland Trail Blazers guard a six-year, $257 million deal.

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets complains about a call against the Golden State Warriors in the second half during Game Two of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on April 18, 2022 in San Francisco, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
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