The Jonas Valančiūnas and Denver Nuggets saga has taken an interesting turn. David Adelman recently spoke to the media about the Nuggets officially welcoming the Lithuanian big man after the deal with the Sacramento Kings was finalized. Denver’s head coach raved about Valančiūnas’ playing style and how well it fits into their system. The problem? It seems the newly traded center isn’t as excited to join Denver as the Nuggets are to have him.
How Does David Adelman See Jonas Valančiūnas Fitting with the Nuggets?
Adelman, who was recently given the Nuggets’ full-time job after being the interim coach this past season with the surprising dismissal of Michael Malone, discussed free agency moves, Denver’s roster construction, and more at the NBA 2K Summer League. The Nuggets coach raved about Valančiūnas’ seamless fit with his team.
“You can play through him. I said this the other day and I really meant it, I thought people forget how good Demarcus Cousins was for us that second half of that season. Jonas is a guy you can post up against the smaller lineups. He’s a proficient player down there, very good dribble handoff player. Play him off the elbows. He’s a guy those guards can play through,” Adelman said.
Adelman mentioned Cousins, who played 31 games for the Nuggets in the 2021-22 season and was a quality backup next to Nikola Jokić, who was coming into his superstardom. Cousins averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Nuggets, which Adelman expects Valančiūnas to at least match or exceed.
He adds the plan for Valančiūnas to slide into the starting lineups on nights Jokić sits out.
“And when you have that and the night doesn’t play, you have a legitimate starting center that we just happen to be lucky enough to have as our backup. So it’s we’re super blessed to get him. Cannot wait for him to get to the United States, get to Denver, we’re so excited to have him,” Adelman emphasized.
Is Jonas Valančiūnas Excited to Join the Nuggets?
Is the 33-year-old center’s excitement reciprocated? It doesn’t seem so. After the reported trade was announced on July 1, reports followed that the Lithuanian big man was mulling playing overseas for the Panathinaikos in Greece. Yet, the Nuggets have made it abundantly clear that they expect Valančiūnas to fulfill his NBA contract.
That contract is set to pay him $10.4 million this season and a non-guaranteed $10 million in the 2026-27 campaign.
However, the 13-year NBA veteran remained tight-lipped when asked about his excitement to play for the Nuggets, and frequently deflected the questions about the NBA. “Let’s talk about the national team,” Valančiūnas said when asked about the controversy.
When asked about his excitement level about playing at Mile High, he spoke about his experience as a visitor, again deflecting about his role on the team.
“I’ve been there. I’ve played several times,” Valančiūnas acknowledged his experience facing the Nuggets as an opponent. “When I am sure [about where I’ll play next season], I will talk about everything. You will be the first to know, for sure.”
With the Nuggets remaining firm that they expect the 6’11” big man to be a part of their roster this season, Adelman may need to outline his plans for Valančiūnas to keep him happy during the season before things go awry amid their rocky start.
