Jonas Valanciunas sidelined at least four weeks with right calf strain
jonas-valanciunas-out-minimum-four-weeks-calf-strain
Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas will miss a minimum of four weeks after being diagnosed with a right calf strain, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The team confirmed the timeline in an official press release.
The injury occurred during the third quarter of Wednesday’s road victory over Toronto. Valanciunas, 33, was making his first start of the season in place of Nikola Jokić, who is also expected to be out at least four weeks with a left knee issue.
Denver was already down four starters in Toronto, and the loss of its primary backup center further depletes head coach Michael Malone’s frontcourt rotation. Potential beneficiaries of the open minutes include Peyton Watson, DaRon Holmes II, and Zeke Nnaji.
Durability has been a hallmark of Valanciunas’ 13-year career. Entering 2025-26, he had logged at least 70 regular-season games in nine campaigns, including 81 appearances in 2024-25, 82 in 2023-24, and 79 in 2022-23.
Acquired from Sacramento in an offseason trade, the Lithuanian big man is averaging 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in a career-low 13.3 minutes across 33 games for Denver this season.
Source: Hoops Rumors
