You have never seen a Nikola Jokić or a Denver Nuggets team like this before.

At the media day photo session, Jokić rested his head on Valančiūnas’s shoulder. After teasing, “Do you want me to kiss him?” he hid his face with his hands. This towering seven-footer appeared somewhat bashful—something you’ve never witnessed from Jokić before.

Jokić was joyful, even though his horse racing activities will temporarily halt; basketball is still what he loves most. Especially with a helper like Valančiūnas, this might be the best backup Jokić has ever had in his career.

Who used to back up Jokić? It was the little-known Jordan who wouldn’t find work anywhere but Denver, and Najee, who earned $8 million but contributed nothing. During the regular season, these players could occasionally get some minutes, but in the playoffs, the Nuggets even had to put Gordon at the center position.

So the Nuggets traded for Valančiūnas, who is arguably the best backup Jokić could find across the entire league. Valančiūnas’s arrival to Denver wasn’t smooth; initially, he didn’t want to stay in the NBA and had already agreed to a three-year, 12 million euro contract with Greece’s Panathinaikos.

However, he was still under contract and couldn’t bypass the Nuggets to play in Europe, and FIBA wouldn’t allow it either. For Valančiūnas to play in Europe, the Nuggets had to approve, but they held a firm stance. After Jokić personally persuaded him, Valančiūnas changed his mind.

Of course, the most important factor was money. Valančiūnas’s salary for next season is $10.4 million, but his 2026-27 salary was not guaranteed. To reassure him, the Nuggets guaranteed his $10 million salary for 2026-27 in advance, which ultimately swayed Valančiūnas’s decision.

At media day, Valančiūnas said, “I’m here now, and I’m happy to be here. If I wasn’t happy, I wouldn’t stay. The past is history; now, our future is ahead of us.”

At 33 years old, Valančiūnas’s career is on the decline. Last season with the Kings, he averaged 8.7 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. But if he plays 15 to 20 minutes against opposing backup centers, Valančiūnas is still more than capable.

In the recently concluded European Championship, Valančiūnas represented Lithuania and helped them reach the quarterfinals. Although they lost to Greece in the knockout stage, he scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds against Giannis. Throughout the tournament, he averaged 15.7 points and 6.7 rebounds with a 64.7% shooting percentage, remaining one of Europe’s top centers.

Valančiūnas’s role on the Nuggets won’t be limited to just backing up Jokić. Head coach Mike Adelman mentioned that sometimes both Jokić and Valančiūnas will play together as a twin-tower lineup. Jokić can handle the ball on the perimeter while Valančiūnas provides extra rim protection inside.

The Nuggets’ offseason success wasn’t just about acquiring Valančiūnas. Their trade sending away Michael Porter Jr. was a masterstroke, pulling the team out of a salary cap mess. Meanwhile, Cameron Johnson, acquired from the Nets, serves as a solid replacement for Porter, even offering better defense.

The significance of this move is that the Nuggets can finally sign players in free agency. That’s why longtime friend Bruce Brown returned. Jokić joked about “saving Brown’s career again.” The chemistry between Brown and the Nuggets isn’t a concern since he made his name here.

Also, last season’s Pistons starter Hamidou Diallo joined the Nuggets. Diallo averaged 11 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists last season with a 36.8% three-point shooting rate. Although his shooting can be unpredictable, signing him at the minimum salary is a steal.

Next season’s Nuggets starting lineup will be Brown, Murray, Johnson, Gordon, and Jokić, offering a more balanced offense and defense compared to when Porter was on the team. The bench rotation includes Bruce Brown, Diallo, Valančiūnas, Watson, and Strus, giving Denver terrifying depth.

Unfortunately, Westbrook chose to opt out of his contract for next season and became a free agent, otherwise the Nuggets’ bench depth would be even greater. With Bruce Brown now on board, the Nuggets have little intention to re-sign Westbrook. Westbrook hasn’t found a new team yet; it’s uncertain if he’ll get a chance with the Kings after the Kuminga incident.

This strong and deep Nuggets roster might even be better than the one that won the championship in 2023. Thirty-year-old Jokić is still at his career peak and might become even more formidable. So even though SGA won a grand slam last season, everyone still regards Jokić as the league’s number one player.

This summer, Jokić declined the Nuggets’ early contract extension offer worth $212 million over three years. But this doesn’t mean he plans to leave; by waiting until next offseason, he can sign a four-year deal worth $292 million.

Jokić said, “The extension will come eventually. My plan is to always be a Nugget.”