Author: Monojit Mandal
In a remarkable turnaround for the NBA, Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics has just signed a revolutionary contract worth an incredible US$303.7 million. It seems like an insurmountable sum as the largest contract in league history, but according to a new NBC Sports analysis by Kurt Helin, it may not be for long. Helin investigated the possibility of other players surpassing Brown’s contract in the near future, with Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic emerging as a prominent candidate who could potentially earn a contract worth more than $400 million.
Nikola Jokic’s talent and distinctive style of play have earned him several honors as one of the best players in the league at the moment. Despite having signed a $274 million contract extension before last season, Jokic has a player option at the end of his current contract, which puts him in a position to negotiate a groundbreaking contract extension before the summer of 2026. Helin argues that he could be the beneficiary of the NBA’s first $400 million contract, especially a five-year, $404 million deal. Even if he doesn’t win another MVP award or a championship, Jokic’s decade of service in the NBA qualifies him for such a deal, given his expected style of play.
However, Jokic is not the only one who has the option of signing a supermax contract worth more than $400 million. Helin lists other players, such as Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Zion Williamson, who could be in line to sign similar, record-breaking contracts in the same period. As the league continues to witness excellent performances from these young players, it is likely that their contracts will increase in value.
Nikola Jokic, born on February 19, 1995 in Sombor, Serbia, has had an incredible journey to NBA greatness. His potential and skills were evident from an early age, and he emerged as a star player both in his high school team and in Serbia’s national youth team. Despite being overlooked by NBA scouts during the draft, the Denver Nuggets realized his potential and selected him as the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft. Since then, Jokic has developed and is now considered one of the best pivots in basketball history.