Denver's New Plan for Jokic! Adelman Reveals All About the New Team

Seye Omidiora 07:49 - 15 July 2025

All four of the Denver Nuggets' summer acquisitions are now officially league-approved, following Sunday's announcement of the trade with Sacramento, which unexpectedly proved somewhat controversial. David Adelman commented on everything, including a note about Nikola Jokic - there's a plan to lessen his load, which wasn't possible before.

Jonas Valanciunas is officially a Denver Nugget, while Dario Saric has joined the Sacramento Kings, despite a late push from Greek club Panathinaikos.

League sources indicate that when the Nuggets agreed to the trade, they were unaware Valanciunas was considering a three-year deal with the EuroLeague powerhouse, a move that would require Denver to release him from his NBA contract.

The issue is that Denver had already internally celebrated Valanciunas's arrival. The 33-year-old Lithuanian center seemed a perfect fit as a leader of the second unit and was expected to shoulder a heavier load than previous backups to Nikola Jokic.

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The Nuggets have made it clear they expect Valanciunas to honor his contract but will also strive to make his time in Denver enjoyable, at least for this first season.

Valanciunas has a guaranteed $10.4 million for the 2025-26 season and a non-guaranteed $10 million for 2026-27, the final year of his NBA contract.

Valanciunas is known for his professionalism around the league. How he publicly addresses this situation will be telling, as uncertainty remains about his feelings regarding the upcoming NBA season.

During a series of cryptic statements in Lithuania last week, he indicated he planned to travel to Denver and meet with the team. However, the timing remains unclear as he joined his national team's training camp for EuroBasket this week.

"When I'm sure, I will definitely let you know," he told BasketNews on Monday, regarding his future.

Given Denver's stance, further developments are unlikely until Valanciunas decides to speak openly.

From the Nuggets' perspective, everything is proceeding as planned. They're operating under the assumption Valanciunas will be on the court in October for the season opener. He's just one piece of a complex offseason plan to add depth and flexibility to Coach David Adelman's rotation, along with several new assistant coaches.

Adelman spoke briefly to the Denver Post at Summer League in Las Vegas on Sunday, offering insights into Valanciunas's role and plans for the second unit.

The "Point-Center" Concept for Valanciunas

Adelman told ESPN last week he envisions Valanciunas as a "point-center" in Denver—a curious notion considering his 1.4 assists per game average. On Sunday, he elaborated on what that entails.

“He’s a true, proven center for a decade who can play all over the floor. When I say ‘point-center,’ I mean a guy we can run offense through. I don’t mean he’s going to be grabbing the ball and pushing it up the floor. But we’re already doing some things that fit him — five-out, dribble handoffs from the other side, posting up smaller players, his ability to make teammates better is there. The assist numbers don't matter to me. His ability to initiate the offense, because of his presence, does. That's why he’s a huge addition for us. I can’t wait for him to get here and fit in.”

Open Competition for the Second Unit

When asked if he'd already formulated lineups around Valanciunas, Adelman said, "I think it's too early," emphasizing that second-unit minutes are completely up for grabs.

"Those guys have got to earn it. That goes for the new guys, too. Everybody knows that. We’re very excited about what those guys have done throughout their careers. We expect them to come in and compete, because there's a reason they’ve all played in rotations around the league. But it’s going to be an open competition. Hopefully, our young guys understand that… And all those guys will play off of Jonas. It’s going to be earned."

The Nuggets brought in Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. on veteran minimum deals to bolster a predominantly young bench.

"That gives you depth throughout the season. We hope the young guys who get the opportunity can bring some of that youth and some of the experience they’ve gained. But everything has got to be earned. It's July. Now’s their time to fight for minutes. Lineups will work themselves out. That’s how we’ll see who works best together and who can play with some of the starters coming back into that second unit. We’d love to have a deep rotation heading into the season, so we’ll see how things evolve."

The Jokic Plan

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Adelman addressed limiting the minutes of Nikola Jokic, who finished fourth in the league in minutes played last season.

"We know one of the biggest things next season is keeping him fresh, so he's the best version of himself when we get to the playoffs, if we're lucky enough to get there. So yeah, that's important to us. There are conversations that have to be had. There's a way to do it. And we'll do it the right way."

He discussed the differences between Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Michael Porter Jr.

"Both are very unique players… Both are tremendous shooters. KCP is somebody we can use in more off-ball actions, which will help us. It takes some pressure off the ball-handlers. We’ve always had Jokic, Murray and Gordon bringing the ball up, now having KCP who can play two-man game — that’s going to add a different dynamic to the offense. … Off the court, Michael has been a tremendous teammate, and I talked to KCP last night — great guy. He's going to fit in perfectly in the locker room."