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The Denver Nuggets have secured the services of seasoned center Jonas Valančiūnas, turning down an offer from Panathinaikos. It appears he will remain in the NBA, aimed at strengthening Denver’s frontcourt and alleviating some of the demands on Nikola Jokić.
Head coach Rick Adelman shared his excitement regarding the acquisition, discussing how he envisions Valančiūnas integrating into Denver’s strategy.
“He’s a genuine center with a decade of experience who can operate effectively all over the court,” Adelman stated in an interview with the Denver Post. “When I refer to ‘point-center,’ I’m talking about a player through whom we can facilitate our offense. I don’t mean he’ll be bringing the ball up the court. We’ve already started implementing strategies that suit him—five-out formations, dribble handoffs from the opposite side, and posting up smaller opponents. His knack for enhancing his teammates’ play is undeniable.”
Although Valančiūnas has recorded an average of just 1.4 assists per game throughout his career, Adelman downplayed any concerns regarding his playmaking numbers, highlighting the advantageous influence he can offer the team.
“The assist totals aren’t a primary concern for me. What matters is his ability to kick off the offense simply by being on the court. That’s what makes him such a vital addition. I’m looking forward to him joining us and finding his place.”
Given that Jokić led all centers in total minutes last season, Adelman recognized the importance of managing his star’s endurance for the playoffs. Valančiūnas’ addition presents a valuable opportunity to ease Jokić’s workload while still maintaining the team’s physicality and spatial dynamics at the center position.
“It’s crucial for us to keep [Jokić] fresh next season so that he can be at his peak when we hopefully reach the playoffs. That’s a priority for us.”
Regarding the team’s rotation, Adelman kept the door open, indicating that minutes for the second unit will depend on performance—including for the new additions.
“Those positions must be earned. This applies to the newcomers as well. It’s widely understood. We are really enthusiastic about their past accomplishments. We expect them to arrive and compete… But it’ll be a fair competition. Hopefully, our younger players grasp that… and all of them will be able to collaborate with Jonas.”
Now that Valančiūnas is officially part of the team, the Nuggets head into training camp with an enhanced frontcourt and a more defined strategy for reducing Jokić’s burden. Whether the experiment of utilizing him as a “point-center” will succeed is still to be determined, but Adelman is clearly placing significant faith in the concept.
