We finally heard it straight from the horse’s mouth on Monday morning as Jonas Valanciunas cleared the air in an interview with BasketNews. JV told Donatas Urbonas that he is “fully committed” to the Nuggets and to finishing his contract and that he will give it his all to “compete for a championship”.
Jonas Valanciunas spoke with me to clear the air on the Nuggets and Panathinaikos situation:
— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) July 21, 2025
"I want to clear the air about my playing situation next season now that Denver has made their decision to keep me. The idea of playing for Panathinaikos, closer to home, was very…
Hopefully, this is the end of this ridiculous and bizarre saga, and we can all move on with our lives. Valanciunas admitted that he was excited by the opportunity to play for Panathanaikos in Greece and to be closer to his family, but recognized that he would have to wait.
That’s an understandable position for Val to take, and most people can probably relate to his sentiment, but at the same time, he’s getting $10.4 million next season to play a backup role on a title contender; things could be a lot worse.
Jonas has been a solid professional for over a decade, so it’s no surprise that he has chosen to fall in line, honor his contract, and lock in for the Nuggets. It’s the right thing to do, it’s the best move for his career, and it provides him a great chance to win his first NBA championship.
Valanciunas’ comments are exactly what Nuggets fans want to hear
Now that he has explained the situation, this is exactly how Nuggets fans should have hoped this would play out. He appears to be all in and ready to focus on playing for the Nuggets. The team targeted him in trades because he still has a lot left in the tank and can fill a key hole at backup center.
He’ll immediately be the best backup that Nikola Jokic has ever had, and it will be amazing to have another giant come in and own the paint while the Joker sits. JV can dominate the boards, score inside, pass well for a big, and can even knock down outside shots if left alone.
He’s a far cry from Jokic, but he’s more than serviceable and can keep the flow of the game going when he’s on the floor. He can also afford the Nuggets to rest Jokic more during the season, and JV should be plenty comfortable starting games when needed.
With this situation resolved and summer league in the books, it feels like we can finally start focusing on and getting excited for the coming season. The Nuggets now have a solid foundation in place with an elite starting lineup and bench that can go 10-11 deep.
They still have one roster spot remaining, and adding another point guard would arguably make this the most imposing rotation in the entire NBA.