The Denver Nuggets had their two playoffs in 2025 at seven video games, successful their first in opposition to the Los Angeles clippers and abandoning the second in opposition to the Thunder of Oklahoma Metropolis. Whereas Nikola Jokic performed a excessive stage all through the playoffs, it was clear that this Thunder workforce was not as deep as the opposite greatest groups within the League.
Consequently, after the dismissal of the director basic Calvin Sales space on the finish of the common season, the entrance workplace of the Nuggets took care in the course of the offseason to encompass their expertise of all time with high quality gamers to make sure that they’d the mandatory depth for the long run.
🚨The nuggets of denver new rotation🚨
PG: Jamal Murray
SG: Christian Braun
SF: Cameron Johnson
PF: Aaron Gordon
C: Nikola JokicPG: Bruce Brown
SG: Tim Hardaway JR
SF: Julian Strawther
PF: Peyton Watson
C: Jonas ValanciunasHigher within the West? pic.twitter.com/mevysvqbhr
– NBA World (@ nbaw0rld24) July 1, 2025
Their offseason additions included commerce for Cam Johnson and the signature of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown. Nonetheless, an important addition could have added insurance coverage behind Jokic with the business acquisition of Jonas Valancunas of the Kings of Sacramento. Regardless of the drama Round its potential departure for Europe, the Veteran Middle will play for Denver subsequent season.
Whereas getting ready for the approaching season, Valancunas represents his nation, Lithuania, within the 2025 Eurobasket match. Friday, Valancunas made certain with the middle of Chicago Bulls Nikola Vučević, proving that it may be an essential a part of this Nuggets workforce subsequent season.
Valancunas reworked the Q1 right into a clinic (12 pts) !!!! 🤯🤯#Eurobasket pic.twitter.com/vwm0nvamj9
– Fiba Eurobasket (@eurobasket) August 29, 2025
In a 94-67 victory in opposition to Vacevic and Montenegro, Valancunas scored 19 factors and 5 rebounds for Lithuania in victory. The Nuggets Middle pulled eight of the 9 on the bottom, together with three of the 4 past the arc. Lithuania is presently 2-0 within the group sport, on the lookout for an opportunity to go to the direct elimination scene.
Trying on the adjustment of Valancunas to Denver, the perfect position shall be to function a backup of Jokic and to permit the MVP 3 times to relaxation typically in the course of the common season, the Nuggets being at all times aggressive with a reliable backup.
Jonas Valancunas put a 𝑪𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑰𝑪 in opposition to Nikola Vacevic and Montenegro 🤯🤯🤯
19 factors
8-9 shot, 3-4 of three
5 rebounds
+19
Solely 13 minutesHe posed the 2nd half with Lithuania up 20 years and over and a match in opposition to Germany 👏 pic.twitter.com/howny1rvtu
– DNVR Nuggets (@dnvr_nuggets) August 29, 2025
Since Jokic performed nearly 37 minutes per sport final season, it implies that Valancunas could be in these 11 minutes, he could be out of the sphere. Nonetheless, there’s a probability that Denver can play each on the bottom collectively, specifically with Jokic’s means to stretch the courtyard, and even Valancunas confirmed a capability to hit the out of doors capturing.
No matter the best way nuggets use Valancunas, he merely offers them with one other high quality participant in order that David Adelman can work in potential alignments for subsequent season.
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