Overview
- NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Friday that Golden State is deliberately preserving salary flexibility so it can pursue Nikola Jokić in the 2027 offseason if he becomes available.
- Jokić has publicly said he expects to stay in Denver and he holds a roughly $62.8 million player option for 2027-28 that, if declined, would open a free-agency window.
- Coverage says the Warriors expect more than $100 million to come off their payroll after this season when multiple veteran contracts expire, creating the projected cap space to chase a max-level star.
- Reporters stress that this is franchise positioning and hope, not evidence that Jokić has asked for a trade or that the Nuggets plan to move him.
- If Jokić declines his option, he could pursue a larger five-year maximum deal and Denver would face pressure to convince its franchise star to stay while Golden State would race to add talent before Curry’s prime ends.