The Nuggets acquired Valanciunas to give backup support to center Nikola Jokic, a three-time league MVP. Jokic averaged a career-high 36.7 minutes per game last season, his eighth straight campaign of averaging more than 30 minutes per outing.

The Denver Nuggets overhauled their bench this offseason after getting eliminated from the second round of last year's playoffs. That process included acquiring Jonas Valančiūnas, the veteran center entering his 15th NBA season who last played for the Sacramento Kings.