Jonas Valančiūnas is going to honor his contract with the Denver Nuggets for the 2025-26 season after there were speculations about his move to Europe. Valančiūnas was traded by the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Dario Šarić.
Valanciunas provided clarity on his stint in the NBA, while in an interview with BasketNews.
“I want to clear the air about my playing situation next season now that Denver has made their decision to keep me,” Valanciunas said. “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.”
After completing the 2025-26 season with Nikola Jokic & Co., he will have an option to decide whether to rejoin them for another season or move to Panathinaikos Athens.
Earlier, Nuggets executive Ben Tenzer also confirmed the situation on similar lines. He said:
“Nothing but healthy conversations about him honoring his contract and him excited to be a Denver Nugget,” Tenzer said, per Brendan Vogt.
While Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens is making a strong push for the big man, Nuggets won’t be releasing him until the end of the 2025-26 season.
Throughout Jokic’s career with the Nuggets, he’s often had to take on an extra load due to the lack of depth they have behind him.
While Valančiūnas is getting older, the veteran has proven to be an above-average player and should be an important piece as Denver looks to get back to the top.
