Denver Nuggets reassure fans about Jonas Valančiūnas trade

Denver Nuggets Vice President Ben Tenzer reassured fans about Jonas Valančiūnas's future with the team.

Now Nuggets beat writer Troy Renck offered a detailed explanation of the Lithuanian center's situation.

Regardless of his personal feelings, Jonas Valančiūnas is a Denver Nugget, according to the beat writer.

Dario Šarić is a Sacramento King, and Valančiūnas is the 2023 champions' new backup center.

Ideally, that would be the end of it, capping off one of the most dynamic offseasons in franchise history.

But there's a snag. A loose thread that, if pulled, could unravel everything. The Nuggets have no choice but to hold firm: Denver or nowhere. Period.

Valančiūnas himself, through some vague statements, has hinted that he might not want to be in Denver.

He met with Panathinaikos, exploring a three-year deal and a return to Europe would bring him closer to home in Lithuania and his family, and potentially offer a role more reminiscent of what initially brought him to the NBA.

There's one small problem: his contract is that he has one year left at $10.4 million.

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And under FIBA rules, he can't sign in the EuroLeague unless the Nuggets release him.

They'd have let Šarić go without a second thought, but this is different andValančiūnas is essential.

Simply put, if the goal is a championship, Jokic can't play 37 minutes in the regular season and 40 in the playoffs. Not again.

There was internal frustration the past two years over how much Mike Malone relied on Jokic, but Malone argued the roster had the balance of a sunflower, not a basketball team.

From day one, new head coach David Adelman has emphasized finishing the season with a "full tank"—roster depth to allow the three-time MVP to rest.

For the first time in five years, the Nuggets have a legitimate backup center and one who actually complements Jokic.

But Valančiūnas is stuck, and He may not like it he wants to play in Greece for family reasons; everyone understands.

If it's about money, that's also understandable: his 2026-27 contract for $10 million is non-guaranteed but he's stuck.

The Nuggets hold the cards. they don't plan to offer him a new contract, as this one-year deal helps them manage Christian Braun's impending extension.

The Nuggets are willing to find out but, all signs point to the Lithuanian putting his head down and playing when the season starts.