Renck: Only one way for Nuggets to handle Jonas Valanciunas drama: Play hard ball

It doesn’t matter if he sees himself as a bonus Jonas, wanting to join brothers Kevin, Nick and Joe on the Living The Dream tour.

It doesn’t matter if he wants a reality TV show, “My Big Fat Greek Meeting,” about his negotiations with Panathinaikos.

Jonas Valanciunas is a Denver Nugget.

The trade went through, making Dario Saric a King — read that without laughing — and Valanciunas the new backup center at Ball Arena. In a perfect world, this would be the end of it, capping one of the most remarkable offseasons in franchise history.

But there remains a catch. A loose thread dangling from Valanciunas, that if pulled, could cause everything to unravel. This leaves the Nuggets no choice but to continue taking a hard-line stance. It’s Denver or nothing. No budging.

Valanciunas, through vague comments, has suggested that he might not want to be here. He met with the Greek powerhouse, mulling a three-year offer. Panathinaikos represents a soft landing spot closer to his Lithuanian home, closer to family, and a role closer to the stardom that brought him to the States in the first place.

There is, however, the little matter of his contract. He has one year left on his deal for $10.4 million. Per FIBA rules, he cannot sign with the EuroLeague team without the Nuggets releasing him. Denver would have happily done this for Saric. This is different. The Nuggets need Valanciunas as much as any player they have added over the last few weeks.

The idea of contending for a championship blows up if they cannot take mileage off Nikola Jokic.

There was internal frustration the last two years that former coach Mike Malone rode Jokic too hard during the regular season, though his counterargument was that Calvin Booth built a roster more top-heavy than a sunflower.

Ever since David Adelman took over, he has stressed the importance of reaching the finish line with gas in the tank. Translation: The Nuggets have to be deep enough to give their three-time MVP some more rest after he averaged a career-high 36.7 minutes per game last season and 40.2 in the playoffs.

For the first time in five years, they landed a legitimate option. Valanciunas connects to Jokic.

He is stuck. Not like gum on the bottom of a shoe. But like a vase held together by Gorilla Glue.

Valanciunas doesn’t have to like it. If his desire to play in Greece is tied to family, he deserves compassion. If his odd messaging traces to a desire for more money, those dots connect much easier since he has a non-guaranteed salary of $10 million for 2026-27.

But he is stuck.

The Nuggets have all the leverage. And frankly, they would likely not be interested in reworking his contract because having him on a one-year deal helps them better handle a Christian Braun extension that should be coming in the next few days or months.

We don’t know exactly what Valanciunas is thinking. Earlier this week, he reported to training camp for the Lithuanian National Team, which will play in EuroBasket 2025 in August. When asked about his future with the Nuggets, he replied, “When I am sure, I will talk about everything.”

Let’s be clear: The Nuggets were surprised by this drama, regardless of their public posture. Ben Tenzer and John Wallace, the Nuggets’ co-general managers, would have driven an Uber to Sacramento to unload Saric’s contract. But for all of the pieces to fit on this improved roster, it requires Valanciunas. Not push back. Or buyouts.

Tenzer told the Nuggets’ flagship station, Altitude 92.5 FM, that he “absolutely” expects Valanciunas to play for Denver, adding, “We had indications that he was going to honor that contract. We were never worried about anything going on out there (in Greece) to be honest.”

This is the appropriate messaging, even if some apprehension remains in the building. Tenzer and Wallace must navigate this carefully. Show no weaknesses. Demonstrate nuance. They have to make it clear through back channels how much they want Valanciunas, explaining that Adelman has a clear vision for his role, one that will include running the offense through him with the second unit while carving out 20 minutes per night.

Valanciunas has long been an inspiration in his country and respected for his work ethic and professionalism. The Nuggets must lean into this, remind the center of his stellar reputation. Does Valanciunas really want to go full Jimmy Butler on Denver?

Again, he’s stuck.