While everyone focused on the Lakers and Bucks with their free agency moves, causing huge waves. The Denver Nuggets were creating a storyline that would be one for the ages. The Mile High City signed Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Dario Saric in a deal that seemed like a win-win for both teams. The Kings got rid of Valanciunas’ $10 million salary; meanwhile, the Nuggets got a true big man, who could give Nikola Jokic a breather. Seems like everyone got what they wanted, right? 

Well, yes and no. Reportedly, 33-year-old center Jonas Valančiūnas was close to accepting a three-year, $13 million deal with Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos. So did the Nuggets sign him just to clear the $10 million in cap space? Not quite. Shortly after, both Marc Stein and Shams Charania confirmed that Denver has no plans to trade the Lithuanian big man. But as the dust settles around Valančiūnas, a new dilemma is already knocking on the Nuggets’ front office door.

In case you’re unaware, their franchise small forward Nikola Jokic is eligible to sign a contract extension this summer. The Joker can ink a massive three-year $200 million deal that would keep him in Denver until 2029-30— but he’s not going to. Why, you might wonder. Well, according to NBA journalist Dusty Garza, it’s because the former MVP is looking at the bigger picture. 

“Nikola Jokić is betting big on himself. Per The Denver Post, the three-time MVP won’t sign an extension this summer, opting to wait until 2026, when he can tack on an extra year and roughly $80M to his next deal.” He reported on X. That makes a lot of sense from Nikola Jokic’s perspective, given he’ll have the security of another year with an additional $80 million in the bag. As for the Nuggets, they’ll do everything and anything to lock in their franchise’s best player. 

“We’re going to offer [the extension],” Is what Denver’s owner, Josh Kroenke, said last month. “I’m not sure if he’s going to accept it or not because we’re also going to explain every financial parameter around him signing now versus signing later.” Although there’s a level of risk on both sides, Jokic’s risk seems larger. The 30-year-old center could sustain a significant injury, which could derail his career, especially keeping in mind the sheer volume of Achilles injuries that have happened in the past season. 

But again, this is Nikola Jokic, one of the most durable players in the league right now. So, it will be interesting to see how the season goes for the Joker, as we’ve also received a massive update on the Jonas Valanciunas situation. 

Jonas Valanciunas has sent the Denver Nuggets an ultimatum.

As we mentioned, the Denver Nuggets find themselves in a tricky situation after trading Dario Saric in exchange for Jonas Valanciunas. Still, the big question on everyone’s mind remains the same: Is Jonas Valančiūnas heading to Greece? For now, nothing is set in stone, but Denver-based journalist Vic Lombardi reports a strong chance of the veteran center suiting up for the Nuggets next season, despite the tempting offer from Panathinaikos.

“‘100%’ if Denver guarantees his second year: ‘It gives him stability.’ The Nuggets believe ‘time will heal.“‘ Lombardi has reported on X. This is huge news for the Nuggets and Nuggets supporters. Although there are still some details that need to be figured out by Denver and Valanciunas, it seems like he’ll be Nikola Jokic’s backup next season. What makes this situation more interesting is the fact that both Valanciunas and Jokic are represented by Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management.

This big agency is now at the heart of Denver’s future. It wouldn’t have been this big of a deal if the 33-year-old had been traded to any other team from the Sacramento Kings. However, the fact that Denver landed Valanciunas has made things much more important. That’s because the Nuggets haven’t had a proper center to play behind the Joker for the longest. The fans need a player capable of setting up screens, grabbing rebounds, playing pick and roll, and scoring buckets. Jonas Valanciunas is capable of doing all of those.

So, even if he can clock in 14-15 minutes every night, that would mean the world to Denver and Nikola Jokic. Now, will he finally to this deal? That’s exactly what everyone will have an eye on, as we await an official announcement.