Without a doubt, Jonas Valanciunas paid his dues as a member of the Toronto Raptors. He kicked off his NBA journey as Toronto's lottery pick in 2011, and while JV might not have been the best defensive big man to fit that gritty, hard-hitting Raptors identity — I think it's pretty safe to say that seven seasons with the franchise are enough to suggest that the Lithuanian center holds a place in Raptors history.
But one piece of Raptors history that Valanciunas unfortunately cannot boast from his career in Toronto is the historic 2019 title victory that eluded him. Of course, Valanciunas was a key piece in Toronto's 2019 trade deadline splash to acquire proven defender and long-time Grizzlies veteran Marc Gasol. That move largely set up the events that followed in the playoffs, as Gasol proved extremely effective and responsible in helping to shut down opposing teams, particularly against 76ers superstar Joel Embiid.
For all the size and rebounding prowess that Valanciunas brought as a member of the Raptors, that unmatchable 2019 campaign might not have been possible if JV had stuck around to be Toronto's primary big. I think Toronto saw and knew more than anything that they'd be stuck in the mud against stronger interior competition if Valanciunas was matching up with them down low. Sad as it was for the JV devotees, his departure was a necessary evil to help push Toronto to the promised land.
But now, with many years having passed since Toronto's historic title run, a silver lining is unfolding for Valanciunas as he prepares for the upcoming 2025-26 campaign.
Jonas Valanciunas is all-in on the Nuggets' determined title hopes
A while back, it was reported that a trade occurred involving the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets, indicating a simple one-for-one player swap — Dario Saric for Jonas Valanciunas. However, in the weeks that followed, it became evident that there was some controversy regarding where Valanciunas' honor and loyalty would lie moving forward, as reports began to circulate that he might end his NBA journey to jump overseas to join the famed Greek basketball club Panathinaikos.
That was a whole ordeal in itself, but now we know that it's official: Jonas Valanciunas will, in fact, be a roster member of the championship hopeful Denver Nuggets squad in the 2025-26 season. As Lithuanian basketball reporter Donatas Urbonas would cover in an article and subsequent post on X, Valanciunas clarified that murky situation to make it known where his loyalty and desires currently stand:
"I want to clear the air about my playing situation next season now that Denver has made their decision to keep me. The idea of playing for Panathinaikos, closer to home, was very exciting to me, but that will have to wait. I am fully committed to honoring my contract with the Nuggets this season and will give it my all to compete for a championship."Valanciunas as per Donatas Urbonas on X
Looking at that statement, it's clear that Valanciunas still has an attraction to playing for Panathinaikos sometime in the future, but his short-term goals align with Denver's eagerness to hoist another Larry O'Brien trophy in the wake of their 2023 title triumph. Valanciunas will arguably be superstar Nikola Jokic's best backup center option throughout his Nuggets career, and as JV says, he's prepared to give it his all in what could end up being his final season in the NBA.
What better way to cap it off than with an NBA championship to his name?