Count to Tenzer.
Deep breath, Nuggets fans. Exhale. Nikola Jokic declining to sign a three-year extension this summer isn’t just a nothing burger.
It’s a nothing burger with 55 nothing fries, 55 nothing tacos, 55 nothing pies, 100 nothing tater tots, 100 nothing pizzas, 100 nothing tenders, 100 nothing meatballs, 100 nothing coffees, 55 nothing chicken wings, 55 nothing pancakes, 55 nothing pastas, 55 nothing hot peppers and 155 nothing taters. Washed down with 55 nothing Cokes and 55 nothing shakes.
It’s bookkeeping 101. Or rather, bookkeeping 292. As in $292 million — which, as pointed out by The Post’s Bennett Durando, Jokic could collect from the Nuggets next summer by signing a four-year extension then. As opposed to $212 million over three years if the deal was done in 2025.
It’s a message, too, shouted from Sombor to the Sawatch:
Keep going.
Who cares about 2032 when the best player on the planet turned 30 in 2025? After years of talking about Jokic’s “window,” after months of yap-yap-yapping about urgency, the Nuggets’ 2-headed front office monster of Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace did the right thing. The brave thing. They acted on it.
When Nuggets president Josh Kroenke waited two months to announce two vice presidents instead of one general manager, I laughed. When he floated trading Jokic at a news conference, I winced. Still, let’s give credit where it’s due. Wallace and Tenzer — Jonzer? — have been on a serious heater ever since.
Michael Porter Jr. and a draft pick got swapped out for Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson. Which in turn, freed up cap space for the Nuggets to sign another shooter (Tim Hardaway Jr.) and a gritty, title-winning fan favorite with tread left on his tires (Bruce Brown). Check, check and check.
Center Jonas Valanciunas was supposed to be coming from Sacramento to cross “backup big man” off the bucket list, a guy who should’ve turned into another roster-building win. Only Valanciunas is playing hardball, vowing he’d rather play in Greece for Panathinaikos than report to Chopper Circle in the autumn.
“Can it be said that you’ll be playing in Denver next season?” Valanciunas was asked Tuesday at the B8 Basketball Summit in his native Lithuania.
“You can say whatever you want — people have already said plenty,” Big Val replied.
“Once the trade is finalized, we’ll put together the plan for the trip to Denver. The team will outline how they see the situation, medicals, and all the details. That part is up to them …
“We’ll only find out when the first game is played. Everything will be clear … when the trade is finalized, we’ll come up with a plan.”
Beware of Greeks bearing grifts. Should the Nuggets need a Plan B, why not turn Valanciunas’ potential snub into a blessing? Throw some of that sweet, sweet mid-level exception cash at Boston center Al Horford, who’s older than Valanciunas (39 to Val’s 33) and smaller — but a far better shooter and defender.
Minnesota in 2023 and Oklahoma City in 2024 delivered the same lesson: There’s no such thing as too much 3-and-D on your bench.
Depending on Big Val, the Nuggets have ticked almost every major box on the off-season shopping list so far save for backup point guard. Instead of running it back, they gave Jokic what he wanted: A roster with enough bodies to go eight or nine deep with the Thunder and Timberwolves in the postseason.
Don’t stop now, boys.
If you’re Jokic, why wouldn’t you be amped up for a franchise, and a front office, that moved mountains for your legacy? Even though the Big Honey’s knee-deep in racing mode for a few more weeks, he’s noticed. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the most recent “The Hoops Collective” podcast that “I was told through second-hand (sources) that Jokic was very pleased with the Nuggets moves.”
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You watch. The Worldwide Leader is about to pivot from “Nikola Jokic isn’t MVP worthy” and “Nikola Jokic isn’t an all-time great” to “Nikola Jokic is too good for Denver.” The talking heads will spend segments arguing whether the Joker would look better in Lakers gold or Celtics green.
Root for punches to get thrown. And relax. Because there’s Nugget to see here.
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