"I don't see him hanging around" - Austin Rivers doubts Nikola Jokic has LeBron James' level of longevity for NBA

Nikola Jokic fulfilled his main goal with the Denver Nuggets by winning the NBA championship in June while also claiming the Finals MVP award. These were the last major trophies remaining for the Serbian big man to claim, as he had already been an MVP twice (2021, 2022), an All-Star five times (2019-2023) and the Western Conference finals MVP (2023).

With that in mind, will it make sense for him to stay in the league long-term and try to play until his late 30s, like LeBron James has done? LeBron is entering Year 21 and expects to play at least one or two more years.

Former Jokic teammate Austin Rivers doesn't expect the Serbian star to stay in the league long term. Instead, he sees him leaving the NBA in a few years.

"Nope. No chance," Rivers said on the Bill Simmons podcast. "I have him playing another five, six years. How old is he right now? I have him playing until like 34, 35. I don't want to say anything more on that... but I don't see him playing in the NBA until he is 39 years old. He didn't want to go to the (championship) parade.

"The last time I was there, we lost to Golden State. And I remember, like, two or three days later, I was grabbing some stuff out the locker room, and I said 'Jok here? No, he left yesterday.' Just after two days, he was gone, he was out.

"I don't think he really cares about the American pop culture and trends and fame and relevance. These things don't interest him, like, deeply to the core, and what interests him is those things. I don't see him hanging around. He is already a champion. He is an All-Star, an MVP. He signed his second supermax, so probably signing another one and then he is out. I think at 35, maybe 36, he is gone."

It doesn't come as a surprise that Nikola Jokic may decide to retire from the NBA once his contract with the Nuggets expires. He is the epitome of an anti-star and is not a fan of the fame that comes with success in the league.

Jokic enjoys spending his time off in Serbia with his family and friends. He is a big fan of horse racing, and he and his family own horses that compete in races. So, when his career is over, it would make sense for him to return to Serbia and focus on his hobby.

Nikola Jokic not expected to leave Nuggets anytime soon after supermax extension

After leading the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA championship in June, Nikola Jokic doesn't see his long-term future away from the franchise. The reason is the supermax contract extension he signed in the summer of 2022.

The Joker agreed to a five-year deal last summer, worth a total of $272 million, that will keep him in Denver until at least 2027.

The new deal begins this year, and Jokic will earn $46.9 million. Then, his salary will increase to $50.6 million in 2025, $54.5 million in 2026 and $58.2 million in 2027. The final year of his deal is a player option, worth $61.9 million, and if he opts into it, he will stay with the Nuggets until 2028.

"I want to be the Tim Duncan of the Denver Nuggets, but I need to win a couple of championships to be him. I like the city. I like the organization. I like the people. I really enjoy it here. ... I don't want to change anything," Nikola Jokic told media a year ago, via TheScore.

What is also interesting here is that in the summer of 2026, Nikola Jokic is expected to be eligible for the last supermax contract of his career, based on the respective criteria set by the NBA.

The new contract would be for five years and a record $404 million, which means that by the end of it, in 2032 (if he signs it), Jokic would be approaching his late 30s (37 years old).