Jonas Valančiūnas might not end up backing up Nikola Jokić after all. Just two days ago, reports emerged about a player swap deal between the Sacramento Kings and the Denver Nuggets involving Valančiūnas heading to Denver and veteran big man Dario Šarić moving to Sacramento.
According to BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas, Valančiūnas is now considering leaving the NBA to join the Greek team Panathinaikos Athens. This report was later confirmed by seasoned NBA insider Mark Stein, who noted that returning to Europe is an appealing option for the 33-year-old Lithuanian center. Stein mentioned that Valančiūnas could sign with Panathinaikos as he looks to exit his NBA contract.
While Denver and Sacramento have agreed on the trade involving Valančiūnas and Šarić, the deal will not be officially finalized until Sunday. This trade forms part of a broader offseason restructuring for the Nuggets, which began with sending Michael Porter Jr., Forward Cameron Johnson, and an unsecured first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets. Denver also secured a one-year contract with free agent Blue-chip wing Brown, a key contributor to their 2023 NBA championship run.
Valančiūnas was expected to provide Denver with additional depth at the center position behind three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. The Lithuanian big man was selected fifth overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors but made his NBA debut in the 2012-13 season after playing for Lietuvos Rytas Vilnius in his home country.
Standing 6-foot-11, Valančiūnas has played 13 NBA seasons. He was with the Raptors from 2012 to 2019 before being traded mid-season to Memphis, where he remained through the 2020-21 season. He then spent the next three seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans.
In the 2024-25 season, Valančiūnas split time between the Washington Wizards and the Sacramento Kings. Over 49 games with the Wizards (12 starts), he averaged 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game. Meanwhile, in 32 games with the Kings (9 starts), he put up 8.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per game.
Though Valančiūnas started only modestly this past season, he has been a starter in 848 of his 937 NBA games. He maintained steady scoring and rebounding averages throughout each season from 2019 to 2023, beginning with the Grizzlies and concluding with the Pelicans. Over his career, Valančiūnas has averaged 13.1 points and 9.3 rebounds on 56% shooting, including 34.1% from beyond the arc.
Fan Take: This potential move highlights the evolving dynamics for veteran big men in the NBA as they weigh career options between staying in the league or returning to Europe. For basketball fans, it underscores the global nature of the sport and could influence more players to consider international opportunities as their careers progress.
