The door remains open for Jonas Valanciunas’ potential return to the EuroLeague, with the Lithuanian center hoping to sign a lucrative three-year deal with Panathinaikos. However, there’s a significant roadblock: Valanciunas still has two years left on his contract with the Denver Nuggets — the second year being non-guaranteed — and cannot join another club without the Nuggets’ approval.
According to Marc Stein, the Nuggets are determined to keep the Lithuanian big man. Denver had been targeting Valanciunas for some time. It’s worth noting that the deal with Sacramento wouldn’t have been possible if the Nuggets hadn’t previously traded Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets to create the necessary space.
This situation is as unusual as it is complex. It’s really rare for a player on a contending NBA team to seek a return to Europe. In Sasha Vezenkov’s case, a similar move was made possible thanks to the Raptors’ willingness to let him go. Denver, on the other hand, has no intention of parting with Valanciunas.
After being eliminated by the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs, Nikola Jokic reportedly urged Denver’s front office to improve the 2nd unit — following the blueprint of the teams that reached the NBA Finals. The acquisitions of Valanciunas, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr. align with that strategy, with Denver placing much of its limited resources into securing Valanciunas.
While the Nuggets’ stance is more than justifiable, a standoff would be counterproductive for all involved. The trade is expected to be officially completed today, but it remains to be seen who — the player or the franchise — will blink first.
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