By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Denver Nuggets fully intend to have Jonas Valanciunas honor his contract.
The 33-year-old Lithuanian center was informed of the plan of the franchise and the Nuggets considering him a valuable part of the 2025-26 roster, as a key backup behind Serbian superstar Nikola Jokic, as reported by ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania on Sunday.
With Panathinaikos Aktor interested in signing him, Valanciunas recently visited the Greens in Greece.
His contract is guaranteed for the 2025-26 season and is worth approximately 10 million dollars, and also includes a 10-million-dollar team option for the 2026-27 season.
With the NBA moratorium now lifted, his trade from the Sacramento Kings is expected to be officially confirmed, especially considering the current approach of the Nuggets.
Last season, his 13th expedition in the NBA, the Utena native tallied 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, including 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 blocks, and 0.5 steals per contest over 32 appearances with the Kings down the stretch of the 2024-25 Regular Season. He started the season with the Washington Wizards, after penning a three-year contract as an unrestricted free agent.
Back in the 2010-11 campaign, playing for Lietuvos Rytas, Valanciunas recorded 15 appearances, introducing himself to the EuroLeague. After being drafted by the Toronto Raptors with the fifth pick of the 2011 NBA draft, he stayed with the Vilnius outfit for one more year and moved to the EuroCup, getting First Team and Rising Star nods, before moving his talents to the league based in North America.
Beyond the complicated situation between the NBA and the EuroLeague, the offseason is set to feature his next international assignment with Lithuania in the EuroBasket 2025.