After a powerful offseason, the Denver Nuggets’ summer season strikes have been jeopardized by an odd offseason improvement. After buying and selling for Jonas Valanciunas, it appeared that he would go away the Nuggets to play in Greece, leaving them excessive and dry. Thankfully for the Nuggets, Valanciunas lately put these rumors to mattress.
“I’m totally dedicated to honoring my contract with the Nuggets this season and can give it my all to compete for a championship,” Valanciunas mentioned to BasketNews.
The Nuggets’ capability to place the Valanciunas drama behind them has eliminated a cloud of doubt surrounding their roster. They made a number of sturdy strikes this summer season to remodel their roster, and, satirically, Valanciunas was key to that. With him below contract for subsequent season, and a crew choice for the 2026-27 season, he might be in Denver for the subsequent two years, giving them stability at backup middle.
Jonas Valanciunas is essential to the Nuggets’ offseason
The Nuggets revamped their crew by including Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Valanciunas. That ought to dramatically enhance Denver’s ceiling, with Johnson having untapped potential that Nikola Jokic may unlock, to not point out their much-improved depth.
Lately, the Nuggets have shied away from including veterans who may take minutes away from their younger gamers. That is clearly modified with them bringing in 4 vets, together with Valanciunas, to resolve their depth challenge.
They need to now have the ability to go 10 deep, one thing Nuggets followers may solely dream of final season when the crew ran out of gasoline in opposition to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder within the West semi-finals.
The Nuggets out of the blue seem like title contenders once more
Having that out of the blue fixes the Nuggets’ greatest flaw. Valanciunas helps to present Jokic an precise backup, which can give him much-needed relaxation with out Denver imploding with out him.
It is a easy repair, however one which was desperately wanted and would not have been solvable had they not traded Michael Porter Jr. It price them an unprotected first, however you possibly can’t argue with the outcome. Denver traded Porter Jr. and changed him with Johnson, Brown, Hardaway Jr., and Valancinus, all of whom mix to make lower than Porter Jr.
Not simply that, however the Nuggets nonetheless have the mid-level exception at their disposal. And whereas they threat going into the luxurious tax, if a great participant turns into out there on the buyout market, they might be primed to land an influence participant to place them excessive.
With Valanciunas confirming that he’ll play for the Nuggets subsequent season, their offseason roster strikes seem full. With clear enhancements, they need to reemerge as a contender subsequent season.
