The Denver Nuggets have had a dynamic start to their offseason, earning praise for their early transactions during NBA free agency. They executed two notable trades this week.
One deal involved sending Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick to Brooklyn in exchange for Cam Johnson. This move provided substantial salary cap relief and added a versatile wing player better suited to their requirements.
The second trade saw Dario Sarič moved to Sacramento for Jonas Valančiūnas. This transaction appeared to resolve the Nuggets` long-standing need for a backup center. However, recent reports suggest this deal might not be finalized as planned, with Valančiūnas reportedly contemplating a return to Europe next season.
Reports surfaced, notably from BasketNews on Thursday, indicating Valančiūnas was in discussions for a potential 3-year, $36 million contract with Greek team Panathinaikos. Marc Stein corroborated Valančiūnas` interest in returning to Europe, mentioning he would need to negotiate a buyout to facilitate this. The complication arises because he still has two years and $20 million remaining on his current NBA contract, and the Nuggets acquired him with the expectation that he would serve as the primary backup for Nikola Jokić.
Valančiūnas, who was born in Lithuania, played his initial four professional seasons in Europe before joining the NBA.
Similar situations have occurred previously where players under NBA contracts wished to return to Europe, and their teams held the right to deny that request. Vasilije Mičić faced a comparable scenario last year with Charlotte and was unable to depart. This summer, he was traded to Milwaukee with the understanding that he would agree to a buyout, returning some salary, to play in Europe next season.
This development could significantly influence the remainder of free agency across the league. The Kings were reportedly creating salary cap flexibility with the intention of pursuing Jonathan Kuminga via a sign-and-trade deal with the Warriors. Jake Fischer reported that the trade between the Kings and Nuggets is still expected to proceed, implying Valančiūnas might accept a substantial buyout from his contract if the Nuggets complete the trade regardless of his European aspirations.
Denver will likely still attempt to convince Valančiūnas to play next season in the NBA as Nikola Jokić`s backup. If they are unsuccessful and proceed with a buyout, they will need to seek other backup center options through free agency or explore trade possibilities.
Al Horford is considered the premier center available in free agency and has been widely linked to Golden State. However, the Warriors` limited taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7 million) is likely being reserved pending a resolution with Kuminga, as using it would hard cap them. If the Nuggets can free up more salary cap space than the Warriors can offer, Horford could represent another significant upgrade at the backup center position.
Apart from Horford, Denver might consider Moe Wagner (expected to re-sign with Orlando alongside his brother) or pursue other trade options. A challenge in trading for another center is that their primary asset is the ability to take on salary for teams needing cap relief, which the Kings needed, but the Nuggets have limited other assets for trades.
The coming days promise intriguing developments as the Valančiūnas situation unfolds, potentially having significant repercussions for the Nuggets, Kings, Warriors, and other NBA teams.
Jasper Hawthorne