The Denver Nuggets have informed Jonas Valanciunas and his representatives that they intend for him to honor his NBA contract. Valanciunas met with Panathinaikos in Greece over the weekend, and reportedly has a three-year, $12 million offer from the EuroLeague power.
The Nuggets are acquiring Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Dario Saric in a pending trade. The veteran center is seen as an ideal backup for Nikola Jokic, which has been a troublesome spot for Denver in recent years.
Valanciunas is owed $10.4 million for this season, with a non-guaranteed $10 million contract for the 2026-27 season. It’s unknown what the Nuggets plans are for the second year of Valanciunas’ deal, but they expect him to be in Denver this season.