Nikola Jokic admitted that the Denver Nuggets are “far away” from championship contention following their early exit from the NBA playoffs, while also reaffirming his desire to remain with the franchise long-term.

“I still want to be a Nugget forever,” Jokic said after Denver’s first-round elimination, underscoring his commitment to the team despite the disappointing finish, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.

The Nuggets, who won 54 games in the regular season and entered the playoffs as title contenders, were eliminated 4–2 by the Minnesota Timberwolves, a series that ended in a surprise early exit for Denver.

“We just lost in the first round,” Jokic said. “I think we are far away [from title contention].”

Jokic, 31, has two years and $121.9 million remaining on his contract, with a player option in the final season. He will be eligible this summer for a contract extension worth up to four years and approximately $293 million, which could secure his long-term future in Denver.

Despite the loss, Jokic reiterated his commitment to the franchise, saying he still envisions spending his entire career with the Nuggets. However, he acknowledged that decisions regarding roster changes are not in his hands.

“That’s not my decision, to be honest,” he said. “Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all get fired.”

Jokic also took responsibility for his performance, describing the series as one of the toughest of his career. He shot just 39% in the first four games, well below his usual efficiency, before improving late in the series.

“A lot,” he said when asked about blame. “I needed to play better. I must play better.”

He added that he felt his rhythm improved later in the series but accepted responsibility for the slow start.

Jokic also acknowledged limited consistency from teammate Jamal Murray, who struggled against Minnesota’s defensive schemes, and noted the impact of injuries to key contributors such as Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson.

Despite the setback, both Jokic and Murray expressed confidence in their partnership as the foundation of Denver’s offense, which led the league during the regular season.

Head coach David Adelman also came under discussion, but Jokic defended him, emphasizing that execution issues were on the players rather than coaching decisions.

“It’s not his fault we couldn’t rebound,” Jokic said. “It’s all us.”

The Nuggets now enter an uncertain offseason after back-to-back playoff disappointments, despite winning the NBA championship in 2023.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev