Shams: Kings Trade Jonas Valunciunas to the Nuggets for Dario Saric; *UPDATE* - Trade is Now Official

[nomansland]

Disappointing, but I can't say I blame him. From what I understand, the money's the same (actually his money will go a lot farther), he'll play more and have a bigger impact, and he doesn't have to live in the US. I get it. Sucks for the Nuggets but I also wouldn't want a guy on the team who really doesn't want to be there.

Trying to be an optimist, maybe this opens the door for Horford, which would ultimately be a better outcome. I doubt that happens (Nugglyfe), but let's see what happens.

And at least they're out of Saric's contract.

[Exp0sed]

I think the Nuggets would like to get Dario Saric’s contract off the books so they can get a viable backup for Jokic. They want the trade to go through whether Valanciunas opts to stay in the NBA or not.

I get it, just sucks, he woulda been an awesome back-up for Joker.

If Valanciunas leaves for Greece it sucks, but he has to walk away from $10 million guaranteed dollars to do so. This could be a tactic to get Denver to guarantee the third and final year of his current contract.

Regardless, even if the Nuggets are stuck with a dead cap hit on Valanciunas, nobody else was going to take Saric’s deal from them without draft-pick compensation. The Kings did them a favor.

I doubt it's a tactic. Val is basically their ideal (and realistic) Jokic backup, they would happily guarantee his 2nd year and likely would be open to extending it to a 3rd year, nullifying the need for any "tactics" on Val's end

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[-Luke-]

The Nuggets are cursed to never have a quality backup C.

Maybe Adelman is able to develop one and not f*** it up like Malone did with Hartenstein.

[Alatan]

I get it, just sucks, he woulda been an awesome back-up for Joker.

If Valanciunas leaves for Greece it sucks, but he has to walk away from $10 million guaranteed dollars to do so. This could be a tactic to get Denver to guarantee the third and final year of his current contract.

Regardless, even if the Nuggets are stuck with a dead cap hit on Valanciunas, nobody else was going to take Saric’s deal from them without draft-pick compensation. The Kings did them a favor.

I doubt it's a tactic. Val is basically their ideal (and realistic) Jokic backup, they would happily guarantee his 2nd year and likely would be open to extending it to a 3rd year, nullifying the need for any "tactics" on Val's end

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I disagree that he is the ideal Jokic backup. He might be the best backup that Jokic had but their games are not similar.

Al Horford would be a better Jokic backup because be could fill the point center role that also stretches the floor. Two characteristics that are cruicial for Nuggets offensive udentity.

The benefits dont stop there as he is also a good defender and can play next to Jokic in some lineups.

[Drakeem]

Never a fan of a player agreeing to a contract to a certain amount of years and trying to renege on it, and tbh that extends to the real world. This is of course assuming no abuse/withholding of cash/misconduct in general.

I understand fully the issue of managing a family and playing in the NBA. Actually, I don’t understand how it feels to be away from them for so long, and I can only imagine how I’d feel, but I’d also reconsider signing a contract more than a 1+1 if I wanted to keep flexibility. You get guaranteed money bc you’re willing to commit to being a professional for X amount of years.

Sucks for Denver. Feels like outside of the one championship year where everything clicked that they’ve had some rotten luck. Things just never synced up well again.

[Ritzo]

Why is Valanciunas doing this? It's not like he's cooked, he's still an NBA starter caliber

[Exp0sed]

If Valanciunas leaves for Greece it sucks, but he has to walk away from $10 million guaranteed dollars to do so. This could be a tactic to get Denver to guarantee the third and final year of his current contract.

Regardless, even if the Nuggets are stuck with a dead cap hit on Valanciunas, nobody else was going to take Saric’s deal from them without draft-pick compensation. The Kings did them a favor.

I doubt it's a tactic. Val is basically their ideal (and realistic) Jokic backup, they would happily guarantee his 2nd year and likely would be open to extending it to a 3rd year, nullifying the need for any "tactics" on Val's end

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I disagree that he is the ideal Jokic backup. He might be the best backup that Jokic had but their games are not similar.

Al Horford would be a better Jokic backup because be could fill the point center role that also stretches the floor. Two characteristics that are cruicial for Nuggets offensive udentity.

The benefits dont stop there as he is also a good defender and can play next to Jokic in some lineups.

"Ideal" was probably the wrong word but def one of the better options available

As for Horford, i'm higher on big Al (peak and career wise) than most. i thought he was going to be a top 10 player in the NBA coming out of college and also thought in real time, that was was pretty underrated in his earlier days.with that said, he's pretty close to washed and going ti be 39 next season

He was still pretty effective in the title run but sadly i don't think we'll see that version of him again and he has noticably and statistically declined last season and the next drop will be even sharper

Val is 33, that's a big diff

also i don't think it's out of the question to play Val alongside Jokic in spurts and\or vs. the right matchup

We saw a Sengun\Steven Adams work surprisingly well and Jokic a much better outsider shooter while Val does have some range (unlike Adams)

Val started some games last season and was giving the business to random unintersted teams, he's got size, strength and some skills too and that allows him to be a menace vs. 2nd units - Horford can't play that role anymore and that wasn't his strong suit to begin with

Horford and Jamal 2 man game is pretty easy to solve as Horford is almost strictly popping, Val rolling down the floor vs. bench units with undersized 5's and and small ball 5's can put alot of pressure on the Defense, be a menace on the offensive boards and even draw some fouls. No1 is fouling Horford at this in his career

Horford is obviously much smarter and savvier, makes better reads and decisions and is a much better outside shooter and leader. If u had to close a game 7 with either, obviously you'd go with Al but for the next two seasons? give me Jonas, hands down

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[The4thHorseman]

With all the civil unrest going on in the US, I don't blame him for wanting to go back and be closer to home.

100%, especially if he’s got family flying in for visits during the season. I wouldn’t risk people I know getting caught up in ICE detention.

I think it's safe to say that he's been in the league long enough for his family to have the proper credentials and paperwork to travel to see him in the states without worrying about being detained by ICE.

[remiga007]

Rescind the trade and go after Al Horford. Better fit anyway and way less diva mentality.

Really, diva mentality? Jonas Valančiūnas? And compared to Al Horford at all people?

Now I have really heard it all, i guess.

[GeorgeSears]

I certainly hope he stays. Either way, at least they got rid of the Saric contract.

[Jailblazers7]

With all the civil unrest going on in the US, I don't blame him for wanting to go back and be closer to home.

100%, especially if he’s got family flying in for visits during the season. I wouldn’t risk people I know getting caught up in ICE detention.

I think it's safe to say that he's been in the league long enough for his family to have the proper credentials and paperwork to travel to see him in the states without worrying about being detained by ICE.

ICE has detained & deported US citizens so I don’t think it’s “safe to say” anything anymore.

[Greek]

He is coming today in Greece, its all over the Greek media, and given the publicity that got in Europe its just matter of time to be official in my opinion

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[LuDux1]

He is coming today in Greece, its all over the Greek media, and given the publicity that got in Europe its just matter of time to be official in my opinion

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Shhhhhhh, he's trying to arrive quietly and incognito, without attracting thousands of Greek fans

[Nuntius]

With all the civil unrest going on in the US, I don't blame him for wanting to go back and be closer to home.

100%, especially if he’s got family flying in for visits during the season. I wouldn’t risk people I know getting caught up in ICE detention.

I think it's safe to say that he's been in the league long enough for his family to have the proper credentials and paperwork to travel to see him in the states without worrying about being detained by ICE.

Sure but it's not like proper credentials matter to ICE. They have already detained people that did have proper credentials.

[LuDux1]

JV should get roughly equivalent of 4.4 million Euros in cash from current NBA contract, PAO should pay him 12 million Euros in 3 years

[TheGeneral99]

Good career for Val...13 years in the league...made a lot of money, maybe he just wants to go home.

[The4thHorseman]

100%, especially if he’s got family flying in for visits during the season. I wouldn’t risk people I know getting caught up in ICE detention.

I think it's safe to say that he's been in the league long enough for his family to have the proper credentials and paperwork to travel to see him in the states without worrying about being detained by ICE.

ICE has detained & deported US citizens so I don’t think it’s “safe to say” anything anymore.

Yeah, ok

[The4thHorseman]

100%, especially if he’s got family flying in for visits during the season. I wouldn’t risk people I know getting caught up in ICE detention.

I think it's safe to say that he's been in the league long enough for his family to have the proper credentials and paperwork to travel to see him in the states without worrying about being detained by ICE.

Sure but it's not like proper credentials matter to ICE. They have already detained people that did have proper credentials.

Were those people specifically here to see a professional athlete from their family play his sport for probably the hundredth time like his family has?

[Wolfgang630]

The Nuggets are cursed to never have a quality backup C.

Maybe Adelman is able to develop one and not f*** it up like Malone did with Hartenstein.

I mean there’s not “time” to keep developing one. You need to win championships. Joker needs a backup for years.

[Blame Rasho]

Good career for Val...13 years in the league...made a lot of money, maybe he just wants to go home.

He also gets an NBA pension from the union which is always something that is interesting to me since pensions are rare to come by. I look at the NFL players and how much they struggle when they retire.The nba has done right by doing that, but nba players are played exponentially more than any other sport.