AP source: Two-time MVP Jokic lands record $264M extension
Nikola Jokic went from No. 41 draft pick, to two-time MVP, and now the holder of the largest contract in NBA history.
Jokic and the Denver Nuggets agreed Thursday to a $264 million supermax extension, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the player nor team announced the agreement.
It begins with the 202324 season and continues through 2027-28 — when, if Jokic exercises his option for that season, he could make roughly $60 million.
The Serbian star has had a meteoric rise in his seven NBA seasons, all with the Nuggets. He became an All-Star in his fourth season and has stayed at that level since, plus won MVP in each of the past two seasons after averaging 26.4 points in 2020-21 and 27.1 points this past season.
And the MVP votes haven’t exactly been close; Jokic has been atop roughly 75% of the ballots cast for that award over the past two seasons.
BRIDGES ARRESTED
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges was arrested in California on the eve of NBA free agency after a warrant was issued, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
LAPD spokeswoman Lizeth Lomeli confirmed that Bridges was arrested on Wednesday but did not release details on the charges. TMZ reported that Bridges is facing felony domestic violence charges.
The Hornets said in a statement they "are aware of the situation involving Miles Bridges. We are in the process of gathering additional information. We will have no further comment at this time.”
Bridges’ agent, Rich Paul, did not immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press.
Bridges, the Hornets’ leading scorer last season, is set to become a restricted free agent and could command a max contract in the coming weeks. His arrest comes on the eve of NBA free agency, which began Thursday night.
The 24-year-old
Bridges averaged career highs with 20.2 points and seven rebounds in what amounted to a breakout season for the four-year NBA veteran while playing alongside All-Star point guard LaMelo
Ball.
Bridges, who played at Michigan State, also is a rapper who goes by the name RTB MB.
The Hornets extended Bridges a qualifying offer on Tuesday, which allows them a chance to match any offer sheet made by another team.
“As an organization we love Miles,” Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak said Tuesday. “We are going to bring him back. He has been great for the franchise and I believe, with his work ethic, he’s only going to get better.”
The 6-foot-7, 225pound Bridges said after the season he wanted to return to the Hornets, but he recently changed his Twitter bio from “forward for the Charlotte Hornets” to “It’s me,” adding some intrigue to the situation.
ELSEWHERE
Wizards: Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards have agreed on a five-year contract that could pay him as much as $251 million — one of the largest contracts in NBA history.
Beal’s announcement was made by his agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports. The decision came almost immediately after this season’s NBA free agent negotiating window opened Thursday, and is a maxvalue deal.
Beal became a free agent by opting out of a $36.4 million contract for this coming season on Wednesday. He did that with the supermax deal from the Wizards clearly in mind, and the sides wasted no time making that happen.
Between the new deal and the $180 million or so that Beal has earned in
his first 10 NBA seasons — all with the Wizards — he’s now cemented a spot as one of the highest-paid players in the history of the league. Beal will make about $43 million this season, get raises of between $3 million and $4 million annually and make around $57 million in the 2026-27 season.
The three-time All-Star averaged 23.2 points while being limited to 40 games last season because of injury. For his career, he’s averaged 22.1 points, including back-toback seasons exceeding 30 points per game in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Other extensions expected to be struck soon include supermax deals for Minnesota’s KarlAnthony Towns and Phoenix’s Devin Booker.
And then there’s a slew of rookie extensions that can start coming Friday, with Memphis’ Ja Morant, Miami’s Tyler Herro and New Orleans’ Zion Williamson among the names on that list.
Knicks: Jalen Brunson called off his meeting with the Mavericks and will sign with the Knicks on a four-year deal worth roughly $110 million, reports the New York Daily News. The news was expected after the Knicks used draft picks to clear the cap space for Brunson, who will serve as the lead guard for a squad that hopes to climb back to relevance.
Brunson, 25, is joining a franchise with familiar faces. His father, Rick, is a Knicks assistant coach and his agent, Sam Rose,
is the son of Knicks team president Leon Rose.
The Mavericks declined to offer Brunson a contract extension before the season and never got another chance. Word of Brunson’s firm commitment
to the Knicks leaked about an hour before free agency even started.
Bucks: Bobby Portis (four years, $49 million) is returning to Milwaukee, and the Bucks are adding veteran guard Joe Ingles as well. Ingles is signing a one-year deal, according to his wife, Renae Ingles, who tweeted that “CEO of the house, Renae Ingles, is thrilled for Joe and their family.”
Raptors: Toronto is keeping forwards Chris Boucher (three years,
$36 million) and Thaddeus Young (two years, $16 million).
Pistons: Detroit moved quickly to lock up restricted free agent Marvin Bagley III, agreeing to keep him with a threeyear, $37 million deal.
Trail Blazers: Anfernee Simons, who had a breakout season for injury-plagued Portland last year — taking advantage of his opportunity, and then some — agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract to remain with that club.
Thunder: Lu Dort, undrafted three years ago and someone who made about $4 million combined in his three seasons with Oklahoma City, will stay with the Thunder for the next five years on a deal worth nearly $88 million.
Nuggets: Denver agreed to sign veteran backup center DeAndre Jordan on a one-year veteran’s minimum deal, a league source told The Denver Post.
The deal can’t be finalized until July 6.
Jordan, 33, played sparingly last season, splitting time between the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 4.3 points and 5.5 rebounds.