Denver Nuggets executive clarified the team’s stance on Jonas Valanciunas Monday, affirming the veteran center is committed to reporting to training camp and fulfilling his contract.
According to Spotrac’s Keith Smith, a Nuggets front office executive said, “From our first conversations after agreeing to the trade, we made it clear we intended for him to be in Denver, and he never made it a real thing to try and get out of his contract.”
Valanciunas, acquired in a trade with the Sacramento Kings, was linked briefly to Panathinaikos in Greece, raising questions about his NBA future. However, Denver’s front office expressed “no concerns” about the Lithuanian big man playing for them this season.
Head coach David Adelman welcomed the addition, calling it a crucial move to bolster the team’s frontcourt depth behind Nikola Jokic. Adelman noted Valanciunas’ skill set — scoring in the post, facilitating from the high elbow, and defending smaller lineups — as a strong fit for the Nuggets’ system.
The 33-year-old center averaged 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds last season, shooting nearly 56% from the field. His contract guarantees him $10.4 million for 2025–26, with a team option for 2026–27.
While Panathinaikos showed interest earlier this summer, Valanciunas’ NBA contract prohibits signing with another professional team unless bought out — something Denver never considered.
An Eastern Conference executive told Keith Smith, “Jonas is a good player, so it’s no surprise all kinds of teams in NBA and Europe were interested in him. That’s why we traded for him.”
