The Denver Nuggets acquired Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings in hopes of strengthening their roster alongside Nikola Jokic. This offseason trade involved sending Dario Saric to the Kings, with Denver aiming to add a reliable veteran center who could contribute valuable minutes off the bench.
However, Valanciunas’s path to the Nuggets is complicated by strong interest from Panathinaikos, a leading basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The European team has offered the Lithuanian center an attractive multi-year contract, and Valanciunas’s recent trip to Athens to meet with club officials shows his serious consideration of returning to Europe, where he has previously thrived.
Contractual Challenges Influence Valanciunas’s Decision
Valanciunas is currently under a guaranteed contract with the Nuggets for the upcoming season, alongside a non-guaranteed 2026-27 deal that might become fully guaranteed by June 29, 2026. This financial arrangement presents a difficult choice between the security of remaining in the NBA and the allure of rejoining a familiar European environment.
Dimitris Giannakopoulos, owner of Panathinaikos, expressed the club’s strong desire to sign Valanciunas, saying,
We want to sign him, he wants to join us; if his team doesn’t say ‘yes’, what can we do?
—Dimitris Giannakopoulos, Owner of Panathinaikos
Denver’s Plans for Valanciunas Highlighted Amid Roster Needs
The Nuggets have made clear their intention to integrate Valanciunas into their rotation, aiming to improve their depth behind Jokic. With past reliance on the aging DeAndre Jordan and the inconsistent Zeke Nnaji, Valanciunas offers a solid upgrade. His potential to deliver 12 to 15 minutes per game while nearly averaging a double-double could be a significant boost as Denver pushes for a championship.
Valanciunas’s Choice to Shape His Career and Nuggets’ Outlook
As the offseason progresses, Valanciunas faces a pivotal decision that will affect both his career trajectory and the Nuggets’ future plans. Balancing a guaranteed NBA contract with the appeal of a prominent role in European basketball places him at a rare crossroads. His eventual resolution will have lasting implications for his professional path and Denver’s championship hopes.