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.

Due diligence for the Nuggets is to negotiate. They’re already on the hook for at least $171.6 million in 2026-27, spread across five contracts.

After a lot of questions and twists and turns, Jonas Valanciunas is coming to the Denver Nuggets. The Lithuanian center could ...