Here the Denver Nuggets sit potentially faced with another loss after a big loss in Minnesota last night.
What a massive turn of events for the team that won an NBA championship now four seasons ago.
The Nuggets, picked by the majority to get out of the first round with relative ease, fell down 1-3 to the injury-decimated Timberwolves before ultimately losing in six games.
Against a team without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu.
Aye Yai Yai!
Before the Nuggets can even dip their toes into an offseason likely filled with questions, they are already perhaps on the verge of losing a key acquisition from just last summer.
Denver Nuggets Could Lose Back Up Big Man to EuroLeague
An offseason ago, Denver was locked in, ready to re-up and re-deploy after a tough second round loss to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Nuggets traded former fan favorite Michael Porter Jr. for the sharpshooting Cam Johnson, signed Tim Hardaway Jr. and convinced Jonas Valanciunas to sign for at least a year.
GettyPHOENIX, ARIZONA – MARCH 24: Tim Hardaway Jr. #10 of the Denver Nuggets. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
But it appears Valanciunas was only going to give it one season before he reconsidered playing overseas, unless the Nuggets pulled off a dominant season. They did not after all.
Per BasketNews.com, the 33-year-old Lithuanian big man has received an offer from EuroLeague club Zalgiris. The deal is for multiple years.
“Zalgiris Kaunas have made their move for Jonas Valanciunas, with details of the club’s offer now revealed,” BasketNews.com wrote. “According to a report from Krepsinis.net, Zalgiris are offering the veteran center a guaranteed two-year contract with an option to extend, a deal that was also confirmed by BasketNews sources. The first season salary would be worth at least 2 million euros, showing how serious the Lithuanian powerhouse is about bringing Valanciunas back home.”
Valanciunas reportedly strongly considered leaving the NBA for the EuroLeague last summer. The Nuggets hotly pursued the big man hoping to obtain an ideal backup center for Nikola Jokic.
This season, Valanciunas showed his reliability, appearing in 65 games. He averaged a touch under nine points per game in roughly 13 minutes per contest. Valanciunas was essentially what the Nuggets had hoped, though they fell well short of expectations this season.
Losing Valanciunas would be a considerable blow to Denver’s already shaky depth. Valanciunas is almost 34 and may want to explore newer options as he approaches the latter stages of his career. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the veteran big man take his talents across waters.
Where Do the Mile High Hoopers Go From Here?
Disappointment. Disappointment. Disappointment.
No other way to begin talking about this Nuggets season. Especially after a loss like this.
Given all the moves the Nuggets made last summer, anything short of a Western Conference finals appearance would be chalked up as a major bummer.
Anytime a team has a generational talent in his prime with another star beside him, the expectation is “championship or bust.” It’s a harsh bar to clear every year, but it’s the reality of today’s NBA.
Denver has some scoping out to do this summer. Things will begin with Jokic’s contract situation. The 31-year-old former MVP can ink an extension this summer.
But whether he chooses to do that now will likely depend on how confident he is that the Nuggets can get back to competing for a title next season.
Only time will tell.
Nuggets Facing Loss as Jonas Valanciunas Receives Big EuroLeague Offer