When the Denver Nuggets traded Dario Saric to the Sacramento Kings for Jonas Valančiūnas, the move was praised around the league as they landed a quality backup center for superstar Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets suffered with poor depth last year - especially behind Jokic - and this was seen as a move that could get them back to the NBA Finals.
However, things got complicated when Greek basketball club Panathinaikos got involved, reportedly seeking to bring the 33-year-old Lithuanian back closer to home and join their squad, which won the EuroLeague in 2023-24.
Beyond the close proximity, this also would have given Valančiūnas an opportunity for a bigger role on the court than what he would have in Denver. It is certainly an enticing move.
Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer appeared on 92.5 FM on Tuesday, and he discussed Valančiūnas' status amid the Greek offer.
When asked if the expectation is for Valančiūnas to be a Nugget this season, Tenzer gave an emphatic answer: "Yes, absolutely."
Tenzer added more context, expressing the Nuggets' full expectation that Valančiūnas will honor the rest of his NBA contract.
"He's under contract in the NBA," Tenzer noted. "We had indications that he was going to honor that contract. We were never worried about anything going on out there [in Greece] to be honest."
Having another offensively savvy big man to put behind Jokic could make a major impact on the Nuggets' championship hopes. Valančiūnas will be able to spell Jokic by similarly running the offense and allowing the three-time MVP to get some needed rest.