Serbian basketball player Nikola Jokic will reportedly sign the NBA’s richest contract ever after the Denver Nuggets had offered him $264 million for five years, it was reported on Tuesday night.
“Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $264 million supermax contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the richest deal in NBA history, sources tell The Athletic, Stadium,” NBA insider Shams Charania said on Twitter.
Jokic’s lucrative contract will start with the 2023-24 NBA season and go through 2027-28.
Charania added that in the fifth season — the 2027-28 campaign — Jokic could make $60 million.
Jokic, who was drafted by the Nuggets with the 41st pick in 2014, is a four-time NBA All-Star (2019-2022) and honored with NBA’s MVP (Most Valuable Player) award twice in 2021 and 2022.
Denver’s superstar Jokic averaged 27.1 points in 74 games during the 2021-22 NBA season, which is his best.
Last season he also played with 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game.
Jokic-led Nuggets played in the 2022 NBA playoffs but they were eliminated in the Western Conference first round 4-1 by the Golden State Warriors, who later won this season’s title in June.
Durant wishes to exit Brooklyn, requests trade
As per reports, Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant requested a trade out of his franchise.
“Kevin Durant has requested a trade out of Brooklyn, sources tell the Athletic, Stadium,” Charania tweeted.
Durant, a Nets forward since 2019, previously played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Golden State Warriors.
He won two NBA titles with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018.
Durant is one of the eminent players of the league as he was selected for the NBA All-Star 12 times.
The 33-year-old played 55 games for the Nets to average 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists last season.
Suns guard Booker set to get $214M for 4 years
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker is set to prolong his deal with his team for four years for $214 million.
Charania said that the parties; the Suns and Booker are “finalizing a four-year, $214 million supermax contract extension” that the 25-year-old is expected to put pen to paper next week.
Booker is loyal to the Suns as he has been playing for the Western Conference franchise since 2015 when the team picked him in the NBA draft.
Last season he played 68 games to average 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists for the Suns.
Separately Charania added that Booker will be the “cover athlete for the NBA 2K23”, a popular game for the PC and video console platforms, which is expected to be available in 2022 autumn.
Every year the cover athlete of the game changes as the NBA 2K22 released in September 2021 featured Dallas Mavericks’ Slovenian star Luka Doncic.
Source: Anadolu Agency