Jonas Valančiūnas Commits to Denver Nuggets, Ending Speculation of European Return

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Veteran center Jonas Valančiūnas has officially confirmed that he intends to honor his contract with the Denver Nuggets, putting to rest speculation that he might leave the NBA to return to Europe. The 32-year-old Lithuanian big man was traded from the Sacramento Kings to Denver on July 13 in exchange for forward Dario Šarič. Shortly after the deal, reports surfaced linking Valančiūnas to a three-year, $36 million offer from Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos, sparking questions about whether he would even suit up for the Nuggets.

With two years left on his NBA contract, Valančiūnas would have needed a buyout from Denver in order to pursue that opportunity overseas. However, Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer made it clear last week that the organization fully expected Valančiūnas to join the team’s rotation.

Now, the former All-Euroleague standout has set the record straight himself.

“I want to clear the air about my playing situation next season now that Denver has made their decision to keep me,” Valančiūnas told BasketNews. “The idea of playing for Panathinaikos, closer to home, was very exciting to me, but that will have to wait. I am fully committed to honoring my contract with the Nuggets this season and will give it my all to compete for a championship.”

For Denver, Valančiūnas fills an important role as a reliable backup to Nikola Jokić. Known for his physical presence in the paint and rebounding ability, he provides Denver with depth behind their MVP centerpiece. While he struggled last season during stints with the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings, Valančiūnas remains a player capable of delivering double-doubles off the bench. The Nuggets, who finished as the fourth-best rebounding team in the league last year, believe the addition of Valančiūnas only strengthens that identity. His size and experience also bring a stabilizing presence to a roster that underwent significant change this offseason, most notably trading Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cameron Johnson, adding Tim Hardaway Jr., and reuniting with Bruce Brown.

Valančiūnas is under contract for the 2025–26 season, with a $10 million non-guaranteed year in 2026–27.

Should his desire to return to Europe persist, Denver could revisit the conversation next summer. For now, though, the Lithuanian veteran is locked in with the Nuggets—eager to chase the one thing missing from his résumé: an NBA championship.