New Nuggets Center Jonas Valanciunas Close To Leaving NBA For Greek Team

Jonas Valanciunas may not play for the Denver Nuggets next season. 

According to BasketNews, Valanciunas is close to leaving the NBA for a Greek Team. 

“Jonas Valanciunas is preparing to close the NBA chapter of his career. According to BasketNews sources, the 33-year-old Lithuanian is close to accepting an offer from Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos Athens. BasketNews sources indicate that the Lithuanian national team center was lured by Panathinaikos’ three-year offer worth nearly €12 million.”

€12 million is $14 million. The Sacramento Kings traded Valanciunas to the Nuggets for Dario Saric.

Valanciunas played for the Washington Wizards and Kings last season. He averaged 10.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 55.0% from the field, 21.6% from beyond the arc and 87.9% from the free-throw line. 

Valanciunas has appeared in 937 NBA games with the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Wizards and Kings. He has career averages of 13.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists. 

The Nuggets won the 2023 championship against the Miami Heat. Since then, they have lost in the second round of the playoffs two years in a row. 

Denver lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 conference semifinals in seven games and fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 conference semifinals in seven games. 

The Nuggets have been busy this offseason. Along with trading for Valanciunas, they traded Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for Cameron Johnson and signed Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr.