Nuggets are desperate to keep their new addition in the United States

The Nuggets traded Dario Saric to get Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings, but he's reportedly very interested in leaving the
Nuggets to play in Europe, specifically for Greek club Panathinaikos. Valanciunas met with Panathinaikos officials Saturday in Athens, before heading to his native Lithuania.

The problem is that he's still under contract. Valanciunas is due to make $10.14M next season, with a team option for 2026-27. Denver took on Valanciunas' extra money ($5M more than Saric) in hopes of finally getting a reliable backup for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. It's not ready to lose Valanciunas to Europe if it can help it.

To leave the NBA, Valanciunas would likely have to give up his 2025-26 salary, which would save the Nuggets a chunk of change and open up the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which would allow them to use $14.1M on another player. The problem is that the remaining free agent market is quite thin, particularly at center. They'd be shopping in the bargain bin for players like Ben Simmons or Precious Achiuwa, players who they don't need the full mid-level to sign.

Denver doesn't want an unhappy player, but it also doesn't want to lose a player it's counting on to keep things afloat during the 10-15 minutes that Jokic is on the bench. Contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets all have multiple centers — the Rockets have three, plus 6-foot-11 forward Jabari Smith — and the Nuggets need their own size to compete.

Valanciunas can't play professionally anywhere while he's still under contract, so the Nuggets have leverage to force him to stay. Now their task is to convince him that playing in the Mile High City can be just as good as going abroad.

The Nuggets front office has made some shrewd moves this summer. Their next priority is finding a really good Greek restaurant and gyro shop.