After reporting on Saturday that the Nuggets plan to go through with their trade for Jonas Valanciunas despite the veteran center’s interest in signing with EuroLeague club Panathinaikos, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reiterates in his latest Substack post that Denver’s front office is “determined to enforce” Valanciunas’ contract and “optimistic” the Lithuanian big man will be a Nugget in 2025/26.
As Stein explains, even if Valanciunas agreed to give back his entire $10.4MM salary for next season in a buyout, which would give the Nuggets enough cap space below the luxury tax line to use the full mid-level exception, Denver still wouldn’t have an easy way to find another backup center, with most of the top free agents already off the board.
Having access to the full MLE would theoretically give the Nuggets the ability to offer a lucrative contract to Al Horford, who is still a free agent, but Stein continues to hear the 39-year-old big man is “destined” to sign with the Warriors, who can currently only offer him the taxpayer version of the MLE.
Valanciunas doesn’t have the ability to unilaterally terminate his contract, and the Nuggets don’t have to accept a buyout even if he did forfeit his entire salary, Stein notes. One source Stein spoke to said a resolution remains uncertain but acknowledged that Valanciunas might have to remain with Denver despite his apparent desire to return to Europe.
Here’s more from Stein:
- The Suns and Knicks are both looking for a top assistant coach and have expressed interest in trying to lure Darvin Ham away from the Bucks, per Stein. However, Milwaukee is “determined to keep” Ham unless he gets the chance to become a head coach again elsewhere. Stein points out that joining Phoenix or New York would be a lateral move for Ham, since he’s already the Bucks’ top assistant, and says Milwaukee “loves having Ham back” after his two-year stint as the Lakers’ top coach.
- The Grizzlies are another team in search of a No. 1 assistant under new head coach Tuomas Iisalo, Stein adds.
- Before trading for Mark Williams and drafting Khaman Maluach, the Suns tried to pursue a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves for Naz Reid, according to Stein, who writes that Reid’s new five-year, $125MM contract with Minnesota is believed to have played a factor in Myles Turner‘s decision to leave the Pacers for the Bucks in free agency. Indiana reportedly never offered Turner a deal as lucrative as Reid received from the Wolves.
I see where Denver is coming from but they’re out of their depth here. This is another league in another country. An NBA contract isn’t an executive order its not like we send troops to capture JV in Greece and force him back to Denver. They can sue him but again good luck pinning him down in Greece for a civil suit. JV might never return to the US then what happens?
Euroleague specifically doesn’t allow teams to sign players if they are under contract in the NBA. If big Val refuses to play for the Nuggets, they could suspend him. He would not win that lawsuit.
The NBA has an agreement with FIBA stating that players must honor their existing contracts. A player cannot sign with a FIBA-affiliated team while still under contract with an NBA team, and vice versa, unless the team holding the contract agrees to release the player. In this case, Denver could take a hardline stance and either require him to play for them or retire. Still, it’s unclear to me why Denver would want a player who doesn’t want to be there.
I assume that’s where the convincing aspect comes in…he’s such an ideal backup center for them…more so than Horford even imho. He may be a guy who wouldn’t cause locker room issues while being less than thrilled, but I don’t know that forsure.
What are you the ambassador of fair play lol. He can buy his way out of contract he signed. Just like you can buy your way out of contract in Euro ball. To come to NBA. He could have went to Greece in June 2024 instead of signing this contract …….
Al Horford would be crazy to choose the old folks home in Golden State over Jokic and Nuggets. He would be perfect fit on Nuggets as well.
I guess it’s all about the huge money. Get it while you can in professional athletics.
His contract is for 12 million dollars over 3 years. That’s 4 million dollars per year. He’s under contract his responsibility is to honor that contract.
Beachguy the nuggets would be able to offer Horford more money if Val leaves
Maybe the Nuggets are attempting to woo him with $$? And they would let Valunčiūnas walk if that attempt is successful?
Could that be the big reason his move to Golden State isn’t official yet?
Warriors are stuck because of Kuminga situation. Halford is just waiting to see if Kuminga walks and their money opens up.
He’s not walking lol. He’s their biggest asset right now. Really should be negotiating with Heat. If they really want him. Sign n trade for ….
Jovic, Jaquez, Love …. Easy ..
The reality is simple Jonas believes he’s a starter. He still wants to be a starter, but he wasn’t nearly as good as Sabonis, and he’s nowhere near Jokic’s level.
This is pure ego.
And instead of recognizing he’s got the chance to be a major contributor to a title contending team; he’d rather leave the NBA for 4 million dollars per year so his ego isn’t bruised.
Major contributor? He’d play like 12-15mpg behind Jokic, who is also one of the least injury prone players in the league. There’s no shame in wanting a bigger role overseas at this stage of his career. Everyone is different.
Let him go to Greece, have him give some money back and sign Horford.
I’m sure he will give his most effort when he is forced to play for DEN 😂
Wonder who the Suns would’ve given for a Naz Reid trade. Being over the second apron, they can’t bundle outgoing players so only Beal or Jalen Green could’ve matched.
A team can’t acquire a player via sign-and-trade unless they’re below the first apron, so it seems like that plan would’ve relied on a Beal buyout/waive-and-stretch and/or other cost-cutting moves.
The fact we might have two 100M+ contracts bought out is insane
Horford has signed two multi-year mega contracts in his career, and can rationally decide to take the Txp-MLE with GSW vs the full MLE with DEN.
Still, though, I’m surprised if only because DEN is also the better team. It also indicates he might be thinking this is his last season. Since his salary for this season will also limit what he can make the next couple of seasons.
JV wants to be a starter in the league or he’s leaving the nuggets want a competent backup the solution is to do a sign in trade for Horford and send JV to Boston where he can start for a year
I don’t see Al going to a West team. Hoping he signs with Knicks. Towns is his bud. And he needs him.
He would be a nice pickup for Warriors …..
Darvin Ham,
Should replace Doc yesterday!