Jonas Valanciunas Says NBA Future Still in Play After Reported Zalgiris Agreement
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Veteran center Jonas Valanciunas has not ruled out returning to the NBA despite reports of a pending contract in Lithuania.
Several Lithuanian outlets reported this week that the 34-year-old had accepted a two-year deal with Zalgiris Kaunas. BasketNews later clarified that the agreement is only preliminary and that Valanciunas intends to survey NBA opportunities before committing.
The 6-foot-11 big man addressed the situation on Instagram, joking, “You wake up and see that everything has been decided for you, don’t need to do anything myself. Thank you, reporters.”
Valanciunas became an unrestricted free agent last week when the Denver Nuggets waived him ahead of the date that would have fully guaranteed his $10 million salary for the 2024-25 season. In 65 regular-season games with Denver, he averaged 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds while serving as Nikola Jokic’s primary backup, but his minutes declined sharply in the playoffs.
Multiple NBA clubs, including the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, explored signing Valanciunas after he hit the market. Both franchises have since filled their reserve center spots, yet additional NBA openings could still emerge.
A move back to Europe has long been considered a possibility for the Lithuanian national-team stalwart. Last summer, he reportedly tried to join Panathinaikos before that transfer collapsed.
For now, Valanciunas appears content to keep every option available as free agency continues.
Source: Hoops Wire
