Nikola Jokic gets a max contract from the Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic will turn the Pepsi Center into the Kola Center for at least the next five seasons as he re-signs with the Denver Nuggets.

The Denver Nuggets wasted no time locking up their franchise center, handing out a max deal to Nikola Jokic. Yahoo’s Shams Charania reports that Jokic’s new deal will keep him in Denver for five years and pay him $146.5 million.

Jokic averaged 18.5 points, 10.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 75 games last season. The Nuggets were within one game of returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

This deal was inevitable the moment Denver declined his team option, making him a restricted free agent.

The 23-year-old center has become the face of the franchise during his three seasons in Denver. The 6-foot-10 Serbian has elite passing skills for a frontcourt player and has improved his three-point shooting in every season thus far. He shot 39 percent from three this past season.

The next piece of business for the Nuggets will be clearing cap space. Along with keeping Jokic for five more seasons, they locked up Will Barton for the next four years. Jamal Murray is due a big raise in the upcoming seasons.

The Nuggets will work the phone lines in the offseason, trying to move the contracts of Kenneth Faried, Wilson Chandler, and Mason Plumlee. Those three are set to make a combined $34.9 million next season.

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With Jokic under contract for the next five years, Denver will continue to put the pieces around him to maximize his prime seasons.