Home/NBA
feature-image

via Imago

feature-image

via Imago

“When the trade is finalized, we’ll come up with a plan. [The Nuggets] will express their wishes, how they think, how they see it.” Jonas Valanciunas might have packed for Denver, but his heart nearly detoured to Athens. And for about 48 hours, the NBA’s latest depth-fixing trade almost turned into international chaos. Because if you thought JV-to-Denver was a quiet rotation upgrade, think again. Behind the scenes, the 6’11” Lithuanian was weighing something far more personal than minutes per game: identity, legacy, and, let’s be real, lifestyle.

The Denver Nuggets thought they had solved a critical problem, that being, backup size for Nikola Jokic. Valanciunas, brought in from Sacramento in exchange for Dario Saric, was the answer. A legit big body with playoff experience and the ability to thrive in short bursts behind the Joker? Perfect. He was expected to play 15–18 minutes a night, maybe some spot minutes next to Jokic against larger frontcourts. The math made sense. The basketball did too. Until it didn’t.

Suddenly, Valanciunas was on a plane to Athens, reportedly taking a medical check with EuroLeague powerhouse Panathinaikos. That’s not a rumor. That’s a commitment. The offer? Three years, €12 million net… roughly $13 million post-tax, with a starring role on a loaded European roster featuring NBA-caliber names like Kendrick Nunn, Juancho Hernangomez, and TJ Shorts. And just like that, Denver fans went from celebrating bench depth to refreshing X with clenched jaws… and well, rightly so.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

So why would a veteran big man flirt with walking away from a title contender for the sun-soaked serenity of Greece? To answer that, we have to talk about what doesn’t show up on a stat sheet. Valanciunas has been traded five times in six seasons. Since leaving Toronto, he’s bounced from Memphis to New Orleans to Washington to Sacramento, and now Denver.

That kind of instability wears on anyone, let alone a 33-year-old father whose family stayed in Lithuania while he ping-ponged across North America. In Athens, he’d be a short flight from home, no trade rumors, no coast-to-coast living out of a suitcase. Just good basketball and good wine under 300 days of sun. Which brings us to the inevitable question: Is the NBA even the right fit for Jonas, no matter the team he’s on?

Is the NBA worth it for Jonas Valanciunas?

Here’s where the numbers get spicy. In Denver, JV’s contract is only guaranteed for about $10.4 million before taxes. After fees, it’s more like $4.5 to $5 million in hand. In Greece? Three years of guaranteed, tax-free euros. Financially, it’s practically a wash. And if Denver declines his team option next season? He’s back on the market. Then there’s the basketball itself.

In Washington, he started 12 of 49 games. In Sacramento, he was mostly glued to the bench behind Sabonis. Nikola Jokic plays 37 minutes a night. JV may love Denver’s title hopes, but there’s a difference between suiting up for a contender and actually playing when it matters. Meanwhile, in Europe, he’d be the guy.

article-image

USA Today via Reuters

What’s your perspective on:

Is Jonas Valanciunas choosing EuroLeague stardom over NBA bench-warming the right move for his legacy?

Have an interesting take?

Not a backup. Not insurance. A double-double machine leading a EuroLeague juggernaut in front of thousands of diehards singing from tip-off to buzzer. That’s not hypothetical, people. It’s rather personal. Jonas was at the EuroLeague Final Four in Abu Dhabi this May. He didn’t just watch. He felt it. And he later told Lithuanian media he was jealous of the energy. And yeah, that probably stuck with him.

Though let’s be clear here, people. This isn’t some “couldn’t cut it in the NBA, so he’s off to Europe” story. That tired cliché deserves a passport stamp of its own at this point. Jonas Valanciunas isn’t getting washed ashore on some EuroLeague rescue raft, and if anything, Europe’s rolling out the red carpet for him.

This is a 6′11″ vet with over a decade of NBA mileage, 81 games played last season, and double-double DNA. If JV did leave, it wouldn’t be running away from the league. It’d be choosing stardom over silence, wine over winters, and actual usage over watching Jokic play 37 minutes a night while eating sunflower seeds on the bench. But then, what now?

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Is Jonas staying or bidding adieu to the Nuggets?

After all that drama, it seems Denver somehow has stabilized the situation. And yes, you can sigh in relief. According to Shams Charania, the Denver Nuggets reached out to Valanciunas’ camp to reaffirm their commitment to keeping him and honoring the deal. Brian Windhorst later added that Jokic himself is happy with the roster moves. Translation? Denver’s not panicking, so neither should you, people! Still, this isn’t your average trade saga.

This was a real flirtation with leaving the NBA. A medical check. A EuroLeague offer on the table. And a player who genuinely seemed torn. But at least for now, Jonas is staying put. Panathinaikos hasn’t announced a signing. And Denver, fresh off a disappointing playoff exit, is too smart to let a quality backup big slip away. But make no mistake, Jonas Valanciunas is no scrub.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

He played 81 games last year between the Wizards and Kings. He’s a professional. A veteran. The kind of guy who shows up, regardless of how many cameras are rolling. And perhaps most bittersweet of all? He missed the Raptors’ 2019 title run by a single trade deadline. He’s still chasing that ring. So, where does that leave us?

With a player straddling two basketball worlds. Denver offers a title shot and a role. Panathinaikos offers stardom and stability. One is legacy. The other is home. For now, the Nuggets win. But ask again next summer. Because, as anyone following this saga knows by now that when it comes to Jonas Valanciunas, nothing’s set in stone… except maybe his jumper from 15 feet.

ADVERTISEMENT

0
  Debate

"Is Jonas Valanciunas choosing EuroLeague stardom over NBA bench-warming the right move for his legacy?"

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT