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NBA: Jonas Valanciunas Could Leave Nuggets and Consider Return to Europe
may 18 2026Jonas Valanciunas' future appears to be away from the Denver Nuggets. According to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, the Lithuanian center's departure from the Colorado franchise is practically a done deal heading into next season, in a move linked to the team's need to reduce payroll.
The veteran big man, who has a non-guaranteed contract worth $10 million for the 2026/27 season, could even permanently leave the NBA and return to Europe to finish the final stretch of his career closer to home.
Valanciunas, 34, has attracted the interest of several EuroLeague teams and, according to various reports, Zalgiris Kaunas appears as one of the clubs most closely monitoring his situation. The Lithuanian club has already reportedly presented a significant offer to the player with a guaranteed two-year contract.
During the last NBA season, the Lithuanian center served as a backup to Nikola Jokic in Denver, averaging 8.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists across 65 regular season games.
