It appears that the Denver Nuggets have finally managed to resolve a frustrating offseason situation. The Nuggets traded for Jonas Valanciunas, but he reportedly considered leaving the NBA to play in Greece next season.
After some haggling, he will play for the Nuggets next season, and the Nuggets may also pick up his team option for the 2020-6-27 season. If that were to happen, that would mean that he’d be under contract for the next two years instead of one. It would potentially give Denver a reliable backup center for the next couple of seasons.
Denver’s trade to acquire Jonas Valančiūnas remains on course to be made official later this week but an Excel Sports official tells @TheSteinLine that the Nuggets have not have guaranteed the second season (‘26-27) left on Valančiūnas’ deal.
He is guaranteed $10.4M in ‘25-26. pic.twitter.com/qaPSjeSB7U
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 9, 2025
The importance of Valanciunas joining the Nuggets can’t be understated, considering that they often struggle mightily when superstar Nikola Jokic is off the floor. Valanciunas agreeing to play for Denver will hopefully alleviate the stress put on Jokic.
The Denver Nuggets need Jonas Valanciunas to play next season
The Nuggets’ bench is much deeper now than last season with the additions of Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Valanciunas. This could provide the Nuggets with a strong 10-man rotation when including Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther.
That’s something that the Nuggets haven’t had in recent years, and that has often come back to bite them in the playoffs. The Nuggets nearly toppled the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West semi-finals before they rallied to beat them.
Had Denver had the depth they do now, it’s entirely possible that they may not have run out of gas. That means that they could have beaten the current champs before they even reached the NBA Finals.
The Nuggets’ revamped bench could make them contenders
Next season, the Thunder will likely still be the Nuggets’ main competition. Fortunately for them, the Nuggets should be better prepared to compete with the Thunder in the playoffs next season.
Valanciunas will play a part in that. He alone won’t help the Nuggets get back to the Finals. But having a competent backup to Jokic means that the Nuggets could potentially afford to rest him a little longer during regular season and playoff games.
That will hopefully keep him fresh and allow their best player to play at peak performance. It’s also important because he’s in his early 30s now, and limiting the amount of wear and tear on his body could help extend his career.
All in all, Valanciunas joining the Nuggets next season will likely come as a relief to fans considering the team’s need for a backup center. With a deeper team that includes Valanciunas, the Nuggets could reemerge as a title contender next season.
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July 13, 2025 | 7:16 am
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