Nuggets blindsided by Jonas Valanciunas decision as major rift brews behind the scenes

After being traded by the Sacramento Kings, center Jonas Valanciunas is currently having some issues with the Denver Nuggets. The Lithuanian big man wants to leave the NBA to play in Europe for Panathinaikos. Initial reports state that Denver expects the veteran player to honor his contract.

Valanciunas has two more years in his three-year, $30.2 million contract. Denver has also said that they’ve pursued the big man for quite some time, hoping to have him as a backup center for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. However, the former No. 5 pick of the 2011 NBA draft wants to move on from the league and play in Europe.

Recent developments show that there was a lack of communication on Valanciunas’ end. According to SDNA, the player’s agent informed Panathinaikos about his desire to leave the NBA. However, the same information wasn’t relayed to Denver.

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According to a Monday report from Evan Sidery, Denver was "furious" about it. However, the big man still wants to leave the NBA for Europe.

Valanciunas was traded for Dario Saric last week. Since then, it's been a back-and-forth with the big man and the franchise.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the longtime big man is currently in Greece to discuss a potential deal with Panathinaikos. However, the Nuggets reached out to Valanciunas' representatives and that they "fully intend" for him to honor his NBA contract, per ESPN's Shams Charania.

Having Valanciunas in Denver would be a significant addition to the roster. He'll play a reserve role for Jokic, the main focus of the team's offseason reset.

Along with the addition of the veteran center, the team also traded away Michael Porter Jr. for Cameron Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets. Also, Bruce Brown Jr. is returning to the organization on a one-year deal, Charania reported on X.

Nikola Jokic is reportedly "pleased" with the Nuggets' offseason moves

When the offseason began, the Denver Nuggets were among the busiest clubs. Despite their difficulties with Jonas Valanciunas, they anticipate having him on the squad before the 2025–2026 season. They also acquired shooters to help the star players.

They added Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., a 36.1 percent shooter from deep. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Serbian center is reportedly "pleased" with the moves the team has made this summer.

"I was told, through second hand, that Jokic was very pleased with the Nuggets' moves," Windhorst said (30:15).

The Nuggets have kept their core players while adding valuable players to help them. Also, adding reliable shooters could be beneficial for Denver next season.

The team wants to make the most of Jokic's prime and remain competitive to win another NBA title.

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Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

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