The jaws of just about every NBA fan were on the floor when it was announced that Nikola Jokic had re-signed with the Denver Nuggets last week.
People weren’t shocked by the signing – everyone knew that was coming – but they were a bit surprised by the amount of money The Joker was receiving.
He inked a deal for five years and up to $270 million.
In 2016, Mike Conley signed the then biggest contract in NBA history: 5-years, $153M.
Just six years later, Nikola Jokic has signed a 5-year, $270M deal.
What a difference a few years makes 😳 pic.twitter.com/n3qGZdOmxa
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 7, 2022
Yes, that is the biggest contract in NBA history and it towers over what was once the biggest contract just a few years ago.
Back in 2016, Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies signed a five-year, $153 million contract extension – the biggest in league history at the time.
$153 million is a lot of money but it’s nothing on $270 million.
Times have changed for the NBA – and so have the paychecks.
Big Contracts Equal Big Money
While we are all flabbergasted by Jokic’s latest deal with the Nuggets, there is no doubt that it’ll be surpassed greatly in just a few years.
The league keeps paying more and more of the talent within it.
Obviously, not everyone earns such a massive payout and most players don’t get close to what Jokic is bringing in.
But the A-listers in the league are all making hundreds of millions with each contract extension.
Now we have to wonder who the first NBA star to make more than $300 million in a deal will be?
There are quite a few who could bring in that number: names like Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo come to mind.
You can easily see either of those guys racking up such a high price point.
For now, Jokic is the cash king of the NBA but recent history shows that won’t last for long.
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