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If Nikola Jokic signs a new contract with the Nuggets next summer, it could be the most lucrative deal in NBA history. But that hasn’t discouraged Dimitrios Giannakopoulosthe owner of the Greek team Panathinaikos, from continuing to pursue the three-time NBA MVP.

During an episode of the Euro Insiders podcast (YouTube link), Giannakopoulos said he attempted to buy out Jokic from the Nuggets this offseason in order to bring him to Athens, as Anthony Slater of ESPN relays.

“People are going to say, ‘OK, now he’s joking,’” Giannakopoulos said. “I did make a very serious proposal this year both to his team and to him. I got a rejection. I know that he has one more year of a contract. … It took a few seconds (for the Nuggets) to say, ‘Who? Greece? Where? What? Bye.’ But let’s wait until next year.”

Jokic will earn $59MM in 2026/27, which is the final guaranteed year of his current contract. He holds a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28 — if he declines it, he could sign a new five-year contract worth a projected $353MM with Denver as a free agent next summer. That deal could also include a no-trade clause. Jokic has stated that his plan is to re-sign with the Nuggets during the 2027 offseason, but it sounds like he’ll hear from Giannakopoulos again before he puts pen to paper on his next contract.

We have more basketball notes from overseas:

Cavaliers point guard Dennis Schröder, Thunder center Isaiah Hartensteinand Magic forward Tristan Da Silva are the active NBA players who will be part of the German national team for the upcoming window of 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying games, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoopswhile Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic and Celtics big man Luka Garza are the NBAers who will headline Bosnia and Herzegovina’s roster for those qualifiers. The Germans will face the Netherlands on August 27 and Poland on Aug. 30, while Bosnia and Herzegovina will match up with Italy on Aug. 28 and Lithuania on Aug. 31.
Former Thunder and Sixers forward Alex Reese has signed with Glint Körfez Basket, the Turkish team announced (via Twitter). Reese appeared in 15 NBA games in 2024/25, including 14 while on a two-way contract with Philadelphia, then spent last season in the G League.
Free agent big man Charles of Bediawho controversially returned to Alabama for five games last season, will continue his career on a one-year deal with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s National Basketball League, reports Olgun Uluc of ESPN (Twitter link). Bediako originally left the Crimson Tide in 2023 but was temporarily deemed eligible to return to the NCAA last season despite having previously signed three Exhibit 10 contracts with NBA teams, including one that was converted into a two-way deal.