Nobody believed ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania when he reported that the Denver Nuggets traded Dario Šarić to the Kings for Jonas Valančiūnas. It was even harder to believe that it was a player swap, with Denver not giving up anything more than Šarić. The optimism didn't last for long, though, as Valančiūnas thought about leaving the NBA to play in Greece.
It's been weeks since all of that was cleared up, and at media day on Monday, Valančiūnas reaffirmed his commitment to doing whatever it takes to win in Denver. He said that he's "comfortable" and "happy" to be in Denver, and that if he weren't, he wouldn't be there. Valančiūnas added that he wants to leave everything that happened in the past.
Jonas Valanciunas on eventually joining the Denver Nuggets:
— Brendan Vogt (@BrendanVogt) September 29, 2025
“One thing I want to clarify is - I’m here. I’m happy to be here. And I’m going to dive in…”
Valančiūnas has been in the league since 2014, when his NBA career began in Toronto, but he's still searching for his first NBA title. He pointed out that being in Denver gives him the best chance he's ever had to win a championship.
He spent the first half of last season in Washington after signing a three-year, $30 million deal with the Wizards in a sign-and-trade with the Pelicans. Washington traded him to Sacramento before the deadline. He went from the worst team in the East to a mid-team in the West. Now, he'll get to help one of the best teams in the league return to the mountaintop.
Valančiūnas reiterates he's happy to be in Denver with the Nuggets
The 33-year-old has two more years left on his current contract, and he isn't planning to force the Nuggets' hand into buying out his contract so he can return to Europe. Denver made the trade expecting Valančiūnas to honor his contract, and that's what will happen.
It's not like the Kings banished Valančiūnas to a bottom dweller. He gets to play for a true contender alongside one of the best players to ever play in the NBA. That's written literally, as David Adelman said he wants to try out lineups with Valančiūnas and Jokić. The only thing Valančiūnas had to say about that was that he's unsure who will play the four and who will be the five.
In all seriousness, the way Valančiūnas' arrival to Denver played out was abnormal, but as he said, it's all in the past. He's 100 percent committed to the Nuggets.