Nuggets Are Running Out of Time With Jonas Valanciunas

The expectation around the Nuggets is that they will waive Valanciunas, saving the $8 million and allowing him to hit free agency.

The Nuggets are in a cap crunch this summer, and despite recent reports suggesting the front office is not as worried about it as many seemed to initially believe, they have no reason to keep Valanciunas heading into next season.

Valanciunas, 34, struggled to stay in Denver's rotation by the end of the season, logging five consecutive DNP-CDs in March, and played five or more minutes in just two of the team's six playoff games. Of course, the Lithuanian big man is still an impactful player and could find value somewhere else, but the Nuggets should not pay him $10 million to stay on the roster.

For a franchise that might try to duck the second apron, the $8 million they'd save by waiving Valanciunas is important, and makes it a no-brainer decision to simply cut ties with the veteran. Especially with a new-look center trio of Nikola Jokic, Marvin Bagley, and DaRon Holmes, the Nuggets will be just fine without Valanciunas.

What's next for Valanciunas?

Valanciunas is already drawing interest from other NBA teams, with both the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks recently linked to Denver's big man. Of course, for any team looking for a veteran backup center, Valanciunas is an obvious option if he hits free agency. Despite having an underwhelming season in Denver, he is a reliable option as a physical interior presence.

Despite drawing NBA interest, though, his future might be overseas. BasketNews' Jonas Miklovas and Karolis Tiskevicius reported that Valanciunas has already committed to Zalgiris Kaunas, a Lithuanian basketball club, if the Nuggets let him out of his contract.

After a 14-year NBA career, it would not shock anyone if Valanciunas returned home. As many Nuggets fans likely remember, Valanciunas nearly left the NBA in the 2025 offseason after getting traded to Denver with a EuroLeague offer on the table. Of course, he stayed in Denver for the year, but a move to Europe this offseason would not come as a surprise.

By July 8, we should see the Nuggets part with Valanciunas, with the only things left to monitor being where he actually ends up afterwards and how Denver will fill the newly opened roster spot.