Dimitrios Giannakopoulos, a Greek businessman and owner of the Panathinaikos Basketball Club, has made an offer to buy out the final year of Nikola Jokić's contract with the Denver Nuggets, according to ESPN. The Nuggets have reportedly declined the offer, but Giannakopoulos appears determined to pursue the three-time MVP.
Jokić has expressed a desire to finish his NBA career with the Nuggets. He currently has two seasons and $121.8 million remaining on his contract. However, he possesses a player option to opt out after the 2027 season, which would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent. Giannakopoulos' proposal is seen as an attempt to preempt Jokić's potential free agency next summer by involving the Nuggets a year in advance.
Should Jokić opt out after the 2027 season, he would be eligible to sign a five-year, $359.5 million extension with the Nuggets. For Giannakopoulos' offer to be competitive, it would presumably need to surpass this potential NBA contract significantly. Giannakopoulos, who has an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion, has the financial resources to potentially offer a record-breaking deal to lure Jokić to Europe.
Despite Giannakopoulos' strong interest and financial capacity, Jokić's reported preference remains to stay with the Denver Nuggets and continue his NBA career. Nikola Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game last season.