Namely, that he wants to be in Denver as badly as Denver wants him.<\/p>\n
That notion has held firm throughout his tenure in the Mile High. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s always seemed like Joki\u0107 values loyalty to the team that took a chance on him. It\u2019s never seemed like he\u2019d leave the Rocky Mountains in the rearview as he headed for the big, flashy lights dotting America\u2019s coastlines.<\/p>\n
Doubt had never even crept into the conversation. Not until Joki\u0107 left the door open to speculation<\/a> by choosing not to sign an extension this summer, kicking the can down the road to next year.<\/p>\n Suddenly, the star who seemed like he would never leave found himself where few players of his ilk have \u2014 gearing up to hit unrestricted free agency, where historical precedent suggests a likely departure. <\/p>\n Joki\u0107 has spoken on this before. At the last media day, he debuted a line that struck home with the fan base and looked tremendous on a quote graphic. <\/p>\n \u201cMy plan is to be Nugget forever.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n He echoed that sentiment after a bitterly disappointing first-round exit.<\/p>\n That\u2019s closer to a verbal confirmation than you\u2019re likely to get from an NBA superstar. Our most recent example was Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dodged commitments and spoke in vague, wishy-washy terms about his future before ultimately taking his talents to South Beach. <\/p>\n But it still wasn\u2019t a confirmation from Joki\u0107. It was just a plan. And plans change.<\/p>\n Unlock Your Full Denver Nuggets Experience<\/p>\n This premium content is a Denver Nuggets Diehard exclusive.<\/p>\n Diehard Level 1<\/p>\n \n $36 Most Popular<\/p>\n Diehard Pro Level<\/p>\n \n $80 Diehard Premium Level<\/p>\n \n $119<\/p>\n
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