The Denver Nuggets started the season extremely well and powered through numerous setbacks. However, things are quickly getting worse, and they’re now losing any margin for error. With multiple key players already out, backup center Jonas Valanciunas is now set to miss time.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Valanciunas suffered a right calf strain in the Nuggets’ most recent game against the Toronto Raptors and will miss at least four weeks. Valanciunas is usually just a depth option, but what the team has recently encountered only makes their fate look worse.

With Nikola Jokic sidelined for the next month after a left knee hyperextension, and Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson, and Christian Braun already out of the lineup, things are looking bleak.

The Nuggets just have Jamal Murray out of their usual starting five, who’s also shaky with his fitness, and with Valanciunas now gone, they’re going to have to rely on DaRon Holmes and Zeke Nnaji, usually relegated to the bench, to fill in.

This also strips the Nuggets of many of their strengths. Valanciunas and Jokic are both extremely good rebounders and huge post presences, and without them, head coach David Adelman’s system will require major restructuring if the current #3 seed wishes to remain in playoff contention.

The upcoming stretch doesn’t allow much breathing room either. The team has a challenging schedule, facing a slew of Eastern Conference teams desperate for a win, and, with the team relying on inexperienced bigs going forward, anyone who pushes into the paint should have more success against the Nuggets.

In his last game before checking out, Valanciunas logged 17 points and nine rebounds with three blocks on amazing efficiency. He’s averaging 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds this season.

When could Jonas Valanciunas realistically return for the Denver Nuggets?

Jonas Valanciunas’ return designation is important, and more than it might seem. A calf strain is very rarely a quick turnaround injury, especially for a burly center who relies on balance and lower-body strength. It must also be noted that Valanciunas is only set to be ‘re-evaluated’ in four weeks, not cleared, and more often than not, it’s just the beginning of a return timeline, not the end.

A four-week absence indicates that the strain is more severe than a mild one and will have to be gradually ramped up.

Following the 2025 Finals, when Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles while playing through a calf strain, teams have been much more cautious and patient with calf injuries, especially because they so drastically affect lateral movement and explosiveness.

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Even in an optimistic scenario, Valanciunas could miss a month of action before requiring heavy minute restrictions to get his conditioning back, something that could take up the rest of the regular season.

Bear in mind that they will have to manage with extremely limited options. Jokic’s recovery period is also no joke.

The Nuggets, for the first time this season, are seriously vulnerable, and every game without their two key big men is a survival game.