Jonas Valančiūnas may not even go well with up for the Denver Nuggets earlier than making his subsequent transfer.
Simply days after stories of a commerce between the Sacramento Kings and Nuggets that may ship the veteran heart to Denver in change for Dario Šarić, there at the moment are rumblings Valančiūnas may depart the NBA fully.
The 33-year-old is weighing a transfer to Panathinaikos Athens in Greece, Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews reported Thursday.
Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein confirmed the story, noting that “a return to Europe is engaging for Valančiūnas,” and that he may pursue a buyout to facilitate the change.
League sources verify that the lure of a return to Europe holds sturdy attraction to Jonas Valanciunas … which may result in him looking for a buyout from his NBA contract to hitch Panathinaikos as @Urbodo stories.
Would scuttle what appeared like such a promising addition for Denver. https://t.co/U7UAb97t9v
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 3, 2025
Though the commerce has been agreed upon, it can’t be made official till Sunday. Valančiūnas was anticipated to present Denver much-needed depth behind three-time MVP Nikola Jokić.
Valančiūnas has spent 13 seasons within the league, averaging 13.1 factors and 9.3 rebounds per sport whereas capturing fifty-six % from the sphere and 34.1 % from deep. He’s been a starter in 848 of his 937 profession video games and averaged a double-double in 4 consecutive seasons between 2019 and 2023.
In 2024-25, he cut up time between the Wizards and Kings, averaging 11.5 factors and eight.2 rebounds with Washington earlier than ending the season in Sacramento.
The Nuggets’ commerce for Valančiūnas was a part of a much bigger offseason overhaul. Denver already shipped Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round choose to Brooklyn for Cameron Johnson and signed Bruce Brown to a one-year deal.
Valančiūnas was drafted fifth total in 2011 by Toronto however didn’t debut within the NBA till the 2012-13 season after taking part in for Rytas Vilnius in Lithuania.
READ MORE: Bronny James Breaks Silence on LeBron’s Lakers Future
