Denver Nuggets executive Ben Tenzer made it clear on Monday that the team has no doubts about Jonas Valanciunas reporting to training camp and fulfilling his contract obligations.
During a press conference introducing Cam Johnson, Tenzer addressed questions regarding the veteran center’s status after brief speculation surfaced about Valanciunas possibly leaving for Europe. According to Brendan Vogt, Tenzer stated there have been “nothing but healthy conversations about him honoring his contract and him excited to be a Denver Nugget.”
Marc Stein also reported Tenzer’s reassurance, noting the front office expressed “no concerns” about Valanciunas playing for Denver this season. The Lithuanian big man has one fully guaranteed year left on his current deal, plus an additional non-guaranteed year.
The Nuggets acquired Valanciunas in a trade with the Sacramento Kings finalized Sunday, sending Dario Saric the other way. Head coach David Adelman described the acquisition as critical to strengthening Denver’s frontcourt depth behind Nikola Jokic.
Adelman praised Valanciunas’ versatility and experience, citing his ability to operate in the low post, facilitate offense from the high elbow, and hold his own against smaller lineups. The coach compared his potential impact to DeMarcus Cousins’ productive run as a reserve center in 2022.
Valanciunas averaged 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds last season while shooting nearly 56 percent from the field. His size and skillset are expected to anchor the Nuggets’ second unit and maintain their interior presence when Jokic rests.
Although there was chatter about Panathinaikos’ interest in the 32-year-old center earlier this summer, ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out that his NBA contract prohibits him from signing with another professional team without a buyout agreement.
Denver now looks forward to welcoming Valanciunas to camp and integrating him into their system ahead of the 2025–26 campaign. Tenzer concluded his comments by reiterating the organization’s confidence.
