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Sep 29, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman addresses the media during media day at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Nuggets' David Adelman Teases New Lineup With Nikola Jokic

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Oct 2, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Among the Denver Nuggets’ bundle of offseason additions through the recent summer months, one of those key acquisitions was found in trading for big man Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings as a helping hand at the five-spot for star center Nikola Jokic.

Valanciunas, who heads into his 14th year in the league as a tenured veteran big, enters into a situation in Denver where he has the chance to provide a ton of value.

During Jokic's time with the Nuggets, he hasn't really played with a center of Valanciunas's caliber to fill in behind him in the frontcourt, which not only helps the overall ceiling of the second unit, but also can allow the superstar big a few more minutes on the bench every night.

Yet, outside of being a backup five behind Jokic, it seems like Nuggets head coach David Adelman has bigger plans for Valanciunas: he wants to play the two big men together.

"Those two guys will play together at certain points." Adelman said of Jokic and Valanciunas. "I think changing defenses allows that. I'd like to see how people guard those two guys. I think that'd be a very interesting decsion of who you put on who."

"If you put a smaller guy on Valanciunas, he's going to completely destroy him on the offensive glass, and we all know what Nikola can do shooting the three and spreading the floor. So, you can do different things with those two guys."

Certainly an interesting tidbit of information before the season kicks off, but a fit that's sure to be fascinating to watch play out on the floor.

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Adelman continued his praise of the newcomer big man, Valanciunas, detailing a bit of what he brings to the table as another solid presence inside.

"What [Valanciunas] brings to us is a go-to post-up player. Proven commodity, incredible offensive rebounder, very underrated dribble-handoff guy, can play second-side," Adelman continued.

"We're going to play through that guy. I have to push the limits of what he can do. I think there's things that he wasn't allowed to do with other teams he can do here. And just having a solid veteran player that's played in enormous games is a big deal."

David Adelman on Jonas Valanciunas, and if he'll play him w/ Nikola Jokic:

"Yes... Those 2 guys will play together.

What he brings to us is a go-to post-up player. Proven commodity, and incredible offensive rebounder, very underrated dribble-handoff guy, can play 2nd side." pic.twitter.com/cqYlYczIDm
— Joel Rush (@JoelRushNBA) October 2, 2025

The Jokic-Valanciunas tandem is a combination that, obviously, provides another layer of size on the floor for the Nuggets that they didn't quite have at their disposal last season. But it also adds another quality big man into a nine or ten man rotation that Denver hasn't really had held down on a consistent basis in recent memory.

Especially in a big Western Conference with frontcourts like the OKC Thunder's Chet Holmgren-Isaiah Hartenstein tandem, or perhaps the Minnesota Timberwolves with a combo of Naz Reid and Rody Gobert, it's a valuable dose of versatility to bring into the room. Denver now has a route to matching up with those lineups.

Time will tell just how effective, or how much we'll see of that Jokic-Valanciunas duo will look this season, but it's a move that Adelman is seemingly confident in rolling out.