Panathinaikos Athens made an official offer to acquire NBA star Nikola Jokic, according to the club’s owner Dimitris Giannakopoulos. The proposal was directed at both the player and his current team, the Denver Nuggets.
Jokic’s longtime agent, Misko Raznatovic, confirmed to The Athletic that Panathinaikos submitted an offer. Raznatovic stated that Giannakopoulos was telling the truth regarding the approach, verifying that the desire to bring the three-time NBA MVP to Athens was not merely a public statement.
The club made a concrete offer for Nikola Jokic and that the proposal was rejected.
Giannakopoulos has publicly expressed a desire to sign Jokic for years. The recent confirmation shows that this interest extended to a formal attempt to buy the player out of his contract, a move that has drawn attention from beyond competing NBA franchises.
Financial disparity between NBA and EuroLeague
The financial scale of such a transfer highlights a significant gap between the two leagues. Jokic is set to earn approximately $59 million next season with the Denver Nuggets. In contrast, Panathinaikos operated with the EuroLeague's largest player salaries budget last season, at around €27 million.
Jokic holds a $62.8 million player option for the 2027–28 season. He could sign a new contract in summer 2027, with a five-year deal estimated at about $360 million, or more than $70 million per season.
Jokic’s current standing and performance
The 31-year-old center remains one of the NBA's best players. He averaged a triple-double for the season, recording 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game in the NBA last season.
Despite the offer from Greece, Jokic has given no reason to believe he wants to leave the NBA. He currently continues his tenure with the Denver Nuggets.
