There’s a key reason why Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic cannot have a no-trade clause in his contract.
A no-trade clause gives immense power to any NBA star. The most recent example of it was how Bradley Beal forced his way out of the Phoenix Suns, thanks to the NTC in his contract.
Is Beal a great player? Yes. But did he deserve a no-trade clause in his deal? Most would say no. There are only a handful of NBA stars who could make a case for such a massive clause.
Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic certainly falls into that category. Unfortunately, as things stand right now, he cannot get that.
At 30 years old, Jokic is still in the prime of his career. Evidently, re-signing the 3x NBA MVP should be on top of the Nuggets’ priority list.
Right now, Jokic has three more years left on his deal, assuming he opts into his $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season.
Evidently, there’s no surprise that Jokic delayed signing a contract extension with the Nuggets this offseason. With the Joker likely to make that decision in 2026, many would expect him to get a no-trade clause in his deal.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible, as NBA expert Marc Stein touched on this topic on X.
“Because no-trade clauses cannot be added to extensions. Beal got one because he went to unrestricted free agency and did an entirely new contract,” Stein wrote.
Even though Jokic meets the other requirements (eight years in the NBA + four years with the current team) for no-trade clause eligibility, Stein confirmed that Jokic cannot receive an NTC.
“If Jokic extends his current deal, he can’t secure a full NTC even though he obviously meets the service-time requirements,” he added.
The earliest Jokic can receive a full NTC is the summer of 2027. But putting that aside, another NBA star now has an NTC in his contract.
It’s none other than Damian Lillard, who recently signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers as an unrestricted free agent.
“With eight years of NBA service time and four years already banked as a Blazer, and because this will be a new contract and not an extension, Lillard is eligible for a full no-trade clause,” Stein explained on X.
Stein concluded: “Only the Lakers’ LeBron James currently has one.”
As confirmed by Stein, Lillard and LBJ are currently the only two players with a full NTC in the league. Will fans see Jokic add to that list? Perhaps in 2027.
