Denver Nuggets Waive Veteran Center Jonas Valanciunas: Report

The Denver Nuggets are waiving veteran center Jonas Valanciunas, according to a report from ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania on Wednesday.

This move saves the Nuggets $8 million as his $10 million contract for the 2026-27 season was only partially guaranteed for $2 million before July 8. This move also clears the way for Marvin Bagley III to take over the backup center position behind superstar big man Nikola Jokic. Denver signed Bagley to a one-year free-agent contract earlier this month.

Valanciunas averaged 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds through 13.4 minutes per game in his first and only season with Denver in 2025-26. The 34-year-old big man is expected to field free-agent interest from multiple NBA teams.

Valanciunas is also linked to Lithuanian EuroLeague team Zalgiris Kaunas, according to a report from BasketNews.

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Valanciunas’ 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in 2025-26 were both career lows. Since entering the league as a big man for the Toronto Raptors in 2011, he’s averaged 12.8 points and nine rebounds per game - notching additional stints with the New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings and Nuggets.

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Prior to his 2025-26 season with the Nuggets, Valanciunas hadn’t recorded less than 10 points per game in a year since his rookie season with the Raptors, in which he averaged 8.9 points per contest.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 7:54 PM.