Tim Hardaway Jr. is heading back West, Jonas Valanciunas is rising in altitude, and the Denver Nuggets are charging full steam into a summer of transformation.
Two years removed from their NBA title run, the Nuggets are aggressively reshaping their roster, agreeing to a one-year deal with Hardaway while acquiring Valanciunas in a trade with the Sacramento Kings for Dario Šaric.
Free agent sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. Hardaway had a strong season for the Pistons' resurgent 2024-25 campaign and now Denver officials finalize a deal with Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
The Sacramento Kings are trading Jonas Valanciunas to the Denver Nuggets for Dario Saric, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2025
Senior NBA insider Shams Charania first reported the developments.
Hardaway started a career-high 77 games for the Detroit Pistons last season, averaging 11.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 36.8% from deep.
The 33-year-old helped fuel the Pistons’ 30-win turnaround and a surprising playoff run that ended in a six-game, East opening-round defeat against the no. 3 seed New York Knicks.
Valanciunas, meanwhile, gives Denver long-coveted depth behind three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
The 6-foot-11 center averaged 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds last season in stints with the Washington Wizards and Sacramento, finishing the year with the Kings after a trade deadline move. He started 21 games across both stops.
Denver’s activity comes during a flurry of offseason moves, including a trade that sent longtime starter Michael Porter Jr. and a second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for forward Cam Johnson.
The Nuggets also brought back fan favorite Bruce Brown – who was a key bench piece during the team’s 2023 championship run — on a reported one-year deal.
[ALSO READ: Nuggets trade Michael Porter Jr., sign returning Bruce Brown on one-year deal—reports]
After pushing the eventual champion OKC Thunder to seven games in the West semifinals, the Nuggets are repositioning themselves to contend again.
With Jokic and co-star Jamal Murray still in their prime, Denver is reloading—not rebuilding—and betting on a new mix of veterans to help get them back on top.
