It took almost two weeks after it was announced that the Denver Nuggets were trading away Dario Saric in return for Jonas Valanciunas, but the transaction was finally made official on Sunday, the Nuggets announced.
Welcome to Denver, Jonas! 🏔️ pic.twitter.com/jAMKV8yQ0Q
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) July 13, 2025
While the trade had to wait for the official free agency window to open on July 6, and then wait again for the Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson trade to be finalized in order to make the cap space work, there were more complications with the trade. Rumors had circled for days that Valanciunas didn’t want to play for the Nuggets and preferred to play for Greek basketball franchise Panathinaikos after a multi-year contract was on the table for the Lithuanian big man, and the questions started to fly after Nuggets Nation finally thought they had an answer to the backup center situation.
The Greek basketball fans were going after Nuggets fans on social media, people were wondering if the Kings had known about this potential contract before the trade, some were afraid that Saric would have to come back to Denver after it seemed like that waste of a contract was finally off the books. Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace had made a move that no one could’ve imagined, but it all seemed to be slipping away.
Valanciunas still has two years left on his contract, which the Nuggets brass is planning on him to fulfill, but only the first year is guaranteed. The annual salary is $10,395,000 this upcoming season and $10 million flat in the 2026-27 season.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman said that Valanciunas fits a similar skillset to Nikola Jokic as a point center, which would make it so the offensive system doesn’t have to change when the three-time MVP hits the bench for a quick breather. After years of either having an old DeAndre Jordan come off the bench or sliding Aaron Gordon to play small-ball center, two options that weren’t exactly ideal, a competent player who can somewhat replicate Jokic and hold his own has finally made his way to Denver.
Valanciunas doesn’t need to play 35 minutes a night. He needs to play 10-15 solid minutes in a playoff game, and upwards of 20 in the regular season to keep Jokic’s legs fresh. He’s able to run the pick and roll, he can score around the rim and he isn’t the worst defender that has come through Denver. He doesn’t have to go make game-saving plays for the Nuggets, he just has to keep the team afloat without the Joker.
A lot can happen between now and the beginning of the season. Just because the trade is official doesn’t mean Valanciunas can’t hold out or play hard to get with the Nuggets’ organization to get his way if that contract in Greece is seriously calling his name. The only way to know for sure that he will honor his contract in Denver is to see him out there in the gold and blue in the first game of the season.
