The Sacramento Kings and the Denver Nuggets are in a spot of bother. The Kings could not garner a favorable response from their previous season. Thus, they were looking to add some quality to the roster. As reports from Shams Charania emerged, the Kings were closing in on trading Jonas Valanciunas. With the Nuggets on board, Dario Saric was expected to join the Kings as an exchange. Unfortunately, this might not happen as Valanciunas’ NBA future looks quite uncertain.
In a recent report, Valanciunas is considering a move away from the NBA. The big man has shown significant interest in joining Panathinaikos Athens in Greece. With the Nuggets deal going through just a couple of days back, Valanciunas might be lured by the €12 million deal offered by Athens.
Jonas Valanciunas is close to leaving the NBA and joining Greece's Panathinaikos Athens, per @BasketNews_com.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 3, 2025
Valanciunas was traded to the Nuggets just two days ago but has reportedly been lured by Panathinaikos' 3-year €12 million offer 🤯 pic.twitter.com/bheQDGma2Z
And this is no mere rumor. NBA Insider Marc Stein also confirmed the news. He pointed out that Valanciunas might consider a buyout in order to make him free. However, from the Kings’ point of view, the trade must be completed for reasons related to the salary cap. Meanwhile, with such complications arising, the impact on free agency will be significant.
Jonas Valanciunas Might Ripple The Free Agency
Jonas Valanciunas has a couple of years and $20 million left on his contract. Meanwhile, the Nuggets went through with the trade as they picked him up as Nikola Jokic’s backup. On the contrary, the Kings were trying to free up cap space. This is because they are reportedly targeting Jonathan Kuminga.
Jonas Valančiūnas is nearing a move to Panathinaikos, signaling a potential departure from the NBA, per @BasketNews_com pic.twitter.com/4liSLw57y1
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 3, 2025
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Thankfully, Valanciunas will be open to paying back a hefty amount in case of a buyout. Even then, the problems are not fully sorted. The Nuggets would badly want Valanciunas to stay, as Jokic would need someone similar to shoulder responsibility. Surely, with the situation getting significantly complicated, it remains to be seen what happens next.
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