Jonas Valanciunas is reportedly heading to Greece to meet with Panathinaikos officials as he weighs his next career move, according to multiple reports confirmed by NBA insider Marc Stein.
Stein tweeted Friday that Valanciunas “is traveling to Greece per numerous reports and hopes to be released from his NBA contract after Denver acquires him Sunday from Sacramento to join Panathinaikos.”
The Lithuanian big man, 33, received a lucrative three-year offer from the EuroLeague club reportedly worth close to €12 million, as first reported by BasketNews. Panathinaikos are aggressively pursuing him to strengthen their frontcourt ahead of another EuroLeague playoff run.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets are still hopeful of keeping Valanciunas in the NBA, lobbying him to remain with the team once their trade with the Sacramento Kings is finalized.
Denver is acquiring Valanciunas in exchange for Dario Saric, with the Nuggets reportedly set to gain access to their full mid-level exception even if the center opts to leave for Europe.
Valanciunas appeared in 937 NBA regular season games over 12 seasons, averaging 13.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per contest. Last season, he split time between the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings, posting 8.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in a reserve role.
Panathinaikos finished third in the EuroLeague regular season at 22–12 and are positioning themselves to challenge rivals Olympiacos for European supremacy. Valanciunas would immediately slot into a starring role, offering size, rebounding, and experience in a competitive league.
The Nuggets’ trade with Sacramento is expected to be completed Sunday, but sources indicate Valanciunas’ decision on where to play next will not affect the transaction.
His choice ultimately comes down to accepting a smaller role on an NBA contender or returning to Europe for more minutes and a prominent position with Panathinaikos.
