Jonas Valanciunas is ‘fully committed’ to Nuggets, he told a European basketball outlet

DENVER — It seems the Denver Nuggets’ stellar free agency period will remain intact.

Jonas Valanciunas, tapped via a trade with Sacramento to back up Nikola Jokic at center – a white-whale depth piece in recent years as Jokic has ascended to stardom – is “fully committed” to honoring his Nuggets contract, according to the latest reporting by the European basketball outlet Basket News.

Valanciunas had famously been courted by the Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos. His reported interest in a multi-year deal to play in Europe had cast a shadow of doubt over his NBA status since Denver acquired him from the Kings for Dario Saric, even as the trade was finalized a week ago.

An NBA departure would have required a buyout that freed him from the two remaining years of his contract.

Alas, Basket News senior writer Donatas Urbonas reported Monday that he had spoken to Valanciunas, who “cleared the air” on the global tug-of-war that his playing status had become:

Valanciunas is both a more-than-capable scorer and serviceable interior defender the Nuggets have lacked behind Jokic on the depth chart in recent years – a conundrum that led to Jokic playing a career-high 37 minutes per game last season.

He is averaging 13 points and 9 rebounds per game over his 13-year career. Last year, he averaged 10.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2 assists over 81 contests between the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings.