Nuggets’ Valanciunas to play for Lithuania in EuroBasket this summer

Jonas Valanciunas has been a Denver Nugget for just about a week, but has gotten off to a rocky start with his new team amidst rumors that he wants to go overseas to Greece and play for Panathinaikos in the EuroLeague. A trade that looked so good for the Nuggets when it was announced was suddenly in jeopardy with the newest wrinkle in the franchise’s never-ending task to find a viable backup for Nikola Jokic.

Reports over the weekend indicated that the Nuggets are planning on having him be an important piece of their roster for the 2025-26 and that they ‘fully intend’ for him to honor his contract. The 33-year-old has two years left on his current deal, worth a little over $20 million.

While the controversy is ongoing about where Valanciunas will be come training camp time, the big man will be overseas at the end of the summer, playing for Lithuania in the EuroBasket tournament. This will be the fifth time that he is representing his home country at the tournament.

🇱🇹 JV headlines Lietuva's 16-man list for #EuroBasket!

➡️ Latest squads: https://t.co/KOg1NXayjY pic.twitter.com/673AOVJABg

— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) July 4, 2025

Don’t worry, Nuggets fans. His appearance in this tournament has nothing to do with what he will (or won’t) do with the Nuggets in the fall.

The Lithuanians have consistently been one of the best countries in the 90-year history of the tournament, as the nation’s three gold medals are the fourth-most by any country in the competition’s history. This year, they will not be at full strength, as neither Domantas Sabonis nor Matas Buzelis will be repping the nation.

This will be the fourth time that Valanciunas plays for Lithuania in the EuroBasket tournament to go along with two Olympic appearances and three FIBA World Cup appearances. His last international appearance came in the 2023 World Cup in which he averaged nearly 14 points and 10 rebounds per game while shooting over 60% from the field in three games as Lithuania finished in sixth place. Despite not medaling, Valanciunas and Lithuania orchestrated one of the biggest upsets of the tournament when they took down the United States.

Lithuania opens the tournament against Great Britain on Aug. 27, and the final is scheduled to take place a couple of weeks later on Sept. 14. This should not create a conflict with the start of the Nuggets season if all goes as planned.

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