Jonas Valanciunas Nears EuroLeague Move, Jeopardizing Nuggets Center Depth

The Denver Nuggets recently traded for Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas, acquiring him from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Dario Saric and signing him to a $10.4 million contract for the 2025/26 NBA season. However, Valanciunas is reportedly close to accepting a lucrative three-year deal valued at nearly €12 million (around $36 million) from the EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos, casting uncertainty on his NBA future. If Valanciunas leaves, the Nuggets would gain access to their full Mid-Level Exception (MLE), allowing them to sign additional players despite salary cap restrictions, but would face a significant gap in their frontcourt depth behind star center Nikola Jokic. The team has valued Valanciunas highly, having pursued him for several seasons and counting on him to provide critical backup minutes, which would help manage Jokic's workload during the regular season. Fans and analysts alike have expressed concern that losing Valanciunas would leave the Nuggets thin at center, potentially weakening their playoff prospects. While the trade is expected to be finalized soon, Valanciunas' decision is pending, and the Nuggets may need to seek alternative options if he departs.