Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has agreed to a five-year, $148 million max deal with the team, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound center has his team-option declined, allowing him to enter restricted free agency, and clearing the way for his first big-time NBA contract, with the Nuggets able to offer much more than any other team, still holding his Bird rights.
Jokic averaged 18.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per fame while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 39.6 percent from 3-point range in 75 games last season.
The Nuggets' postseason push came down to the wire, as they lost a down-to-the-wire overtime affair against the Minnesota Timberwolves, falling a win shy of the Western Conference playoffs.
Jokic remains the centerpiece of this team, and one lauded by his fellow teammates and coach Mike Malone, who has embraced his workman-like approach, despite his superstar abilities on the court.
The Serbian put up 10 triple-doubles on the season and emerged as the evident building block along with other young talents like point guard Jamal Murray and shooting guard Gary Harris.
The Nuggets had until June 29 to make a decision on Jokic's future, doing so early, in hopes to iron out their promise to keep him as their organization's star of the future.
Jokic will make an average of $29.3 million per year after playing at the discounted rookie average rate of $1.36 million through each of his first three seasons with the team.
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