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

[KGtabake]

Nuggets need a defensive big. He doesn't have to be elite. Better than Jordan will do.
The Valanciunas signing doesn't make sense in this regard.

[UcanUwill]

Nuggets need a defensive big. He doesn't have to be elite. Better than Jordan will do.
The Valanciunas signing doesn't make sense in this regard.

Yes, but they are pretty much out of options, Jonas was not ideal, but he pretty much fell to their lap out of nowhere, or unless it looked before he decided to leave.

The best somewhat realistic options I can think of could be : Bitadze, Jackson-Davis, Looney, Horford.

Not sure GSW would do it, but Jackson-Davis makes the same as Tyson or Picckett or Strawher, so trade straight with any of these plus maybe a pick works.
Bitazde makes the same amount as Nnaji, if they include a few second rounders, maybe Magic would do it?

[Godymas]

ngl, the fact that someone would rather play overseas than try and contend as a backup to Jokic hurts his legacy

[LuDux1]

Nvm i don't keep Up with the bertoleague anymore.

It's ..Motieague? ..Moleague? now

[KGtabake]

Nuggets need a defensive big. He doesn't have to be elite. Better than Jordan will do.
The Valanciunas signing doesn't make sense in this regard.

Yes, but they are pretty much out of options, Jonas was not ideal, but he pretty much fell to their lap out of nowhere, or unless it looked before he decided to leave.

The best somewhat realistic options I can think of could be : Bitadze, Jackson-Davis, Looney, Horford.

Not sure GSW would do it, but Jackson-Davis makes the same as Tyson or Picckett or Strawher, so trade straight with any of these plus maybe a pick works.
Bitazde makes the same amount as Nnaji, if they include a few second rounders, maybe Magic would do it?

If they are just looking for a back up, obviously Vucevic when bought out should be the priority.
I think if he becomes available the Warriors will be all over him but you never know.
Vucevic is worse than Valanciunas defensively but their offensive production will not take a severe hit on the non Jokic minutes.

[UcanUwill]

Nuggets need a defensive big. He doesn't have to be elite. Better than Jordan will do.
The Valanciunas signing doesn't make sense in this regard.

Yes, but they are pretty much out of options, Jonas was not ideal, but he pretty much fell to their lap out of nowhere, or unless it looked before he decided to leave.

The best somewhat realistic options I can think of could be : Bitadze, Jackson-Davis, Looney, Horford.

Not sure GSW would do it, but Jackson-Davis makes the same as Tyson or Picckett or Strawher, so trade straight with any of these plus maybe a pick works.
Bitazde makes the same amount as Nnaji, if they include a few second rounders, maybe Magic would do it?

If they are just looking for a back up, obviously Vucevic when bought out should be the priority.
I think if he becomes available the Warriors will be all over him but you never know.
Vucevic is worse than Valanciunas defensively but their offensive production will not take a severe hit on the non Jokic minutes.

Is there any substance to believe Vooch could be bought out? Maybe Portland will bought out Robert Williams, if that guy can still play at all.

[Pachinko_]

If I was NBA team, these are the EL centers that I would be interested in :

Lessort, Booker, Nebo, Milutinov. I think they are pretty decent, better than some back ups out there.

Nebo is 6'9 and has more of a PF game tbh. 15-20 years ago he could have had a career in the NBA with his skillset (as a PF) but not today..good player tho,no doubt

they already have Nnaji with that skill set, they need an actual Center. like Jonas haha

Nebo is definitely not a PF, he is more Gafford type uber athletic dunker. Yeah, he is not tall, just like Booker or Lessort, but I think NBA now knows that it is not all about size. I do not think they would want Moustapha Fall.

Younger Bismack Biyombo is my best comp
He doesn't stretch the floor and he's not a rim protector as such but he played really good D on Giannis with the NT, and that was after a brilliant season with Maccabi
I'd grab him for any team and any purpose.

[Johnny Bball]

So now the question is what will the Nuggets do with their full MLE?

I have no idea how this isn't a huge plus for the nuggets. JV is what he is but if they can use the full MLE that is a far better player than JV. The question is how does this trade work now, if it isn't official until Sunday and JV is signing today in Greece.

Does it mean the nuggets are stuck with saric and the Kings get the cap space... Or does the signing in Athens have no impacct on NBA trades and contracts?

As for JV, if this was about not starting or minutes, he shouldn't have been starting for years.

[OxAndFox]

He was under contract but with a different organization. He's been traded five times in his career.

Honestly I get he has a contract, but there has to come a time where you say F you guys, I'm making my own life decisions instead of playing your cute little game of musical chairs. That contact was signed with the Pelicans, who traded him to the Wizards, who traded him to the Kangz, who traded him to Denver.

The Pelicans never traded Valanciunas. He chose to sign a contract with the rebuilding Wizards last offseason as a free agent. He knew as an older player that he was taking the money and the ability to start temporarily for a bad team in exchange for a high likelihood of getting traded during the course of the contract.

From what it sounds like, Panathinaikos approached him with this offer after Denver and Sacramento agreed to the trade, so the scrutiny should fall heavily on them.

Why should Panathinaikos face any scrutiny? They aren't an NBA team so they aren't bound by NBA's rules. Just like NBA teams aren't bound by the various rules of European leagues when they approach players who are under contract with a team in Europe. Why would this be any different in this case?

I mean scrutiny is just a different word for being a Karen because no one did anything wrong. That what was meant by it. There everyone. I said it. It's ok.

[KGtabake]

Yes, but they are pretty much out of options, Jonas was not ideal, but he pretty much fell to their lap out of nowhere, or unless it looked before he decided to leave.

The best somewhat realistic options I can think of could be : Bitadze, Jackson-Davis, Looney, Horford.

Not sure GSW would do it, but Jackson-Davis makes the same as Tyson or Picckett or Strawher, so trade straight with any of these plus maybe a pick works.
Bitazde makes the same amount as Nnaji, if they include a few second rounders, maybe Magic would do it?

If they are just looking for a back up, obviously Vucevic when bought out should be the priority.
I think if he becomes available the Warriors will be all over him but you never know.
Vucevic is worse than Valanciunas defensively but their offensive production will not take a severe hit on the non Jokic minutes.

Is there any substance to believe Vooch could be bought out? Maybe Portland will bought out Robert Williams, if that guy can still play at all.

The Bulls wanted a pick for him but they can't find suitors. So yes, i read they're thinking of a buy out.
Williams will not he available. He can play now and he's worthy of a decent trade return which the Nuggets can't provide.

[BelgradeNugget]

Nuggets need a defensive big. He doesn't have to be elite. Better than Jordan will do.
The Valanciunas signing doesn't make sense in this regard.

Yes, but they are pretty much out of options, Jonas was not ideal, but he pretty much fell to their lap out of nowhere, or unless it looked before he decided to leave.

The best somewhat realistic options I can think of could be : Bitadze, Jackson-Davis, Looney, Horford.

Not sure GSW would do it, but Jackson-Davis makes the same as Tyson or Picckett or Strawher, so trade straight with any of these plus maybe a pick works.
Bitazde makes the same amount as Nnaji, if they include a few second rounders, maybe Magic would do it?

I would love to get Bitadze, and trade doesn't need to include Nnaji. Simply expand Nugs-Sac trade to include Orl. Something like:
Saric to Sacramento, Bitadze to Nuggets, Valanciunas to Orlando. Add small contracts if needed to make things work. Maybe some seconds to Orlando, and then Val terminates his contract and they clear $10M off the books.

Anyway Nuggets could use Val too. He is great offensive bench player, terrible defensive, but if paired with Nnaji at PF and Watson at SF they cover him on defense, he cover them on offense. Their defense in space, and rim protection, his rebounding. His pnr offense, Nnaji spacing and offensive rebounding, Watson transition...it can work.

[BelgradeNugget]

Another option to expand Den/Sac trade is Saric to Sacramento, Olynyk to Nuggets, Valanciunas to Washington.

[JimmyPlopper]

Would Nuggets have any interest in Andre Drummond

[KGtabake]

Would Nuggets have any interest in Andre Drummond

Literally the worse option imo
He will be the new DeAndre Jordan for them.

[stoo]

please, i want to see tomorrow when the real offseason starts, nuggets expand mpj and saric trade, and get backup c, backup pf and backup pg

[Mirotic12]

Nvm i don't keep Up with the bertoleague anymore.

Bertomeu isn't a part of EuroLeague.

[Deathray]

I'm sure with Summer League practice starting today, Nuggets brass are watching Harrison closely to see just what they've got.

[LuDux1]

Valansanity! Flight that carried him to Greece was second most followed flight of the day yesterday

[FarBeyondDriven]

how did Perry not know about this? The trade exemption could have been the Kings instead if not for this trade no?. Now it goes to the Nuggets instead? If so this is a major red flag for our new G.M. Though I'm sure people will attempt to blame Vivek I'm sure.

[lambchop]

ngl, the fact that someone would rather play overseas than try and contend as a backup to Jokic hurts his legacy

It has no impact at all. Some Europeans never truly enjoy living in the US, for example Rubio, Mirotic, even Jokic. Mind you Rubio had a bunch of other general issues just like Mirotic.

Once you're financially set, why not take full control over where you want to live. In addition, Valanciunas will have a bigger role in Europe. Of course, he could always play in Europe when he's old and injured, but that kinda sucks.