The Denver Nuggets easily had one of the NBA’s best free agency periods.
They were so successful that they’re now rightfully considered a first-tier NBA title contender again. That’s what happens when a team led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokić finally gets more quality depth and versatility. You start thinking about them realistically pushing for their second championship in four years.
The Nuggets’ free agency period was bookended by a trade for long-time veteran center Jonas Valančiūnas. The idea was that Valančiūnas would act as Jokić’s first steady backup in years, ensuring that the NBA’s best player doesn’t have to push himself as much in the regular season. This would allow Jokić to have more energy and gas in the tank by the time the playoffs roll around.
However, the Nuggets’ plan, for now, has hit a snag.
Over the weekend, NBA reporter Marc Stein noted that Valančiūnas was considering ending his NBA career to join Greek powerhouse club Panathinaikos B.C. in Europe. This possible move, of course, is not so simple as the Nuggets have to agree to let Valančiūnas off his NBA contract because FIBA won’t just let the big man reneg on his contractual obligations stateside without their permission.
After a holding period over the last few days, NBA trades and signings like Valančiūnas heading to Denver were officially finalized on Sunday. This opened the door for the Nuggets and the Lithuanian center to finally (hopefully?) get some clarity about their respective situations.
And well … we still have to wait.
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According to Stein, the Nuggets remain “optimistic” that Valančiūnas will play for them during the 2025-2026 season. Why? Well, mainly that they hold most of the cards in this situation and, for the moment anyway, have no plans to let him out of his NBA deal:
Just because the Nuggets are trying to keep Valančiūnas for the time being, it doesn’t mean they won’t change their mind.
After all, there’s something to be said for wanting important rotational players to actually want to play for their team. That’s in the respect of fostering an all-in, championship culture, anyway. If the Nuggets “force” Valančiūnas to stay in Denver, there’s always the chance he’s a bit disgruntled and checked out, which can be a drag on a team otherwise aiming to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy again in June. This mentality can potentially be shifted if Denver sweetens the pot for Valančiūnas, such as offering him a partial guarantee on the second year of his remaining contract, which is currently a team option.
Unquestionably, Valančiūnas’s happiness is a major question to consider.
Also, while the Nuggets ultimately get final say, Valančiūnas is not entirely without leverage. The longer this situation wears on, the greater the chance that Denver’s options to back up Jokić slowly dry up. For example, at the time of this writing, trusty veteran Al Horford remains unsigned. Horford would be another perfect backup for Jokić, but they first need to have a roster opening for him. In fact, the Nuggets would likely need Valančiūnas to agree to a full buyout of his NBA contract, which would give them access to the full lucrative MLE contract structure of just over $14 million. That money would probably be spent on securing Horford’s services.
But if Horford agrees to terms with another team before the Nuggets figure out what’s up with Valančiūnas, then they would seemingly be in quite the compromised position, barring a trade for someone else dependable in the league. In this scenario, if Denver somehow ends up empty-handed or with someone much more replaceable, that would be a massive failure all around after what was shaping up to be a dream Denver offseason.
The Nuggets have been searching for a competent backup for Jokić for roughly half a decade. Go figure that the moment they apparently get one, they have to engage in a weird standoff about his future before cementing anything in place. Stay tuned.
