Zalgiris Kaunas Finalizes Two-Year Deal With Jonas Valanciunas
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KAUNAS, Lithuania — Zalgiris Kaunas announced Wednesday that veteran center Jonas Valanciunas has signed a two-year contract with the EuroLeague club.
The move ends days of speculation that began even before the Denver Nuggets waived the 34-year-old last week. Reports on Monday indicated Valanciunas was still weighing NBA offers, but the Lithuanian native has now committed to returning to Europe.
Attempted Move a Year Earlier
Valanciunas nearly joined Panathinaikos last July, traveling to Athens to discuss a three-year deal. That agreement collapsed when Denver refused to negotiate a buyout of his NBA contract.
Role in Denver
Acquired from Sacramento last summer for Dario Saric, the 6’11” center served as Nikola Jokić’s primary backup. He appeared in 65 games (six starts) and averaged 8.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 13.4 minutes while shooting 58.2 percent. Valanciunas saw just 25 total minutes in Denver’s first-round playoff series against Minnesota.
The salary-cap-challenged Nuggets released him to avoid paying his full $10 million salary for 2026-27, of which only $2 million was guaranteed.
Return to Europe
Although multiple NBA teams expressed interest, Valanciunas had long preferred a European reunion. He joins a Zalgiris roster that already features former NBA players Carsen Edwards, Saben Lee, Nigel Williams-Goss and Sterling Brown.
NBA Career Snapshot
Selected fifth overall in the 2011 draft, Valanciunas played 14 NBA seasons with Toronto, Memphis, New Orleans, Washington, Sacramento and Denver. He earned 2012-13 All-Rookie Second Team honors, logged 1,002 regular-season games (854 starts) and averaged 12.8 points and 9.0 rebounds.
Contract Details
BasketNews journalist Donatas Urbonas reports the two-year pact is worth about €5 million (roughly $5.5 million) after taxes. By contrast, a two-year NBA minimum deal would have approached $8 million before taxes.
Valanciunas is expected to join Zalgiris for preseason preparations later this summer.
Source: HoopsRumors
