The Denver Nuggets' trade for Jonas Valanciunas became official on Sunday, nearly two weeks after it was first reported. It doesn't mean that Valanciunas will suit up for the Nuggets next season, but that's the outcome the organization expects. The trade is one that nobody saw coming, not because Valanciunas is more than a serviceable Jokic backup, but because all it cost was Dario Saric.
Saric spent the majority of the 2024-25 season out of the rotation after Denver signed him to a two-year deal last summer. He had a $5.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season that everyone knew he was coming to pick up. For a team that entered the offseason needing to create financial flexibility, the Nuggets seemed stuck.
The new front office took care of that issue in more ways than one. It was hard to believe that Denver swapped Saric for Valanciunas when ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania first reported the trade. Fans assumed that there was more to the deal, but that was it. The Kings merely needed to create more cap space.
There is still a question mark as to what will happen with Valanciunas' future in Denver, but the only way for him to go to Greece is if both sides agree to a buyout. If he stays with the Nuggets (and again, that's the expectation), the trade will go down as one of several slam-dunk moves the front office made this offseason.
Nuggets' new front office isn't playing around
Valanciunas hasn't made the best first impression on the Denver fan base, but that's something that can be repaired. The real concern is how he'll affect the locker room. If Valanciunas truly no longer wants to be in the NBA, it could turn into a larger issue.
It's hard to believe that the Nuggets will let things reach that point. It's not like Valanciunas was sent to a lowly team that will be lucky to secure a Play-In Tournament berth. He has the opportunity to win a championship alongside the best player in the league. Denver retooled the roster this summer, from trading Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson to reuniting with Bruce Brown.
Hopefully, this situation will be cleared up soon. Regardless of what happens, it's still a win for the front office. Rather than sit back and not capitalize on Jokic's greatness like the front office did the past couple of years, Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer aren't afraid to do whatever it takes to win another title with the superstar.
If Valanciunas hasn't realized already, what's happening in Denver is something he should want to be part of.