Inside The Nuggets

Denver Nuggets NBA Champion Signs with Team Overseas

Former Denver Nuggets forward agrees to two-year deal with Italian club Olimpia Milano
Matt Guzman|
Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar (31), guard Jamal Murray (27) and center PJ Hall (13) on the bench during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena.
Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar (31), guard Jamal Murray (27) and center PJ Hall (13) on the bench during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Denver Nuggets

A Denver Nuggets forward has officially departed the NBA for a European squad. Luckily for worried Nuggets fans, it wasn't newly-acquired big man Jonas Valančiūnas.

Vlatko Čančar, per EuroHoops, signed a two-year deal with Olimpia Milano in early July after hitting unrestricted free agency following the 2024-25 season. Čančar spent five seasons with the Nuggets — including the 2022-23 title run — and averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds on 47 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent from 3.

Following his departure, he sent a heartfelt message to his former franchise:

"Thank you Denver," he wrote on Instagram. "To take a chance on a kid from Koper Slovenia, believing in me and creating me as a person and basketball player, a big hug and thank you."

He continued: "In (these) beautiful 6 years, I met a lot of great people — some connected with basketball and a lot outside the court, so thanks to you all as well. I can say Denver is my second home. You will always have a fan for life. Hopefully our paths cross down the road again; it is not a goodbye, but a see you later!"

Now with Olimpia Milano, Čančar looks to add some more hardware to his collection as an impact player. Meanwhile, the Nuggets remain hopeful that Valančiūnas opts to remain in Colorado and play out the remainder of his contract.

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Matt Guzman
MATT GUZMAN

Matt Guzman is a sports journalist and storyteller from Austin, Texas. He serves as a credentialed reporter and site manager for San Antonio Spurs On SI and a staff writer for multiple collegiate sites in the same network. In the world of professional sports, he is a firm believer that athletes are people, too, and intends to tell stories of players and teams’ true, behind-the-scenes character that otherwise would not be seen through strong narrative writing, hooking ledes and passionate words.

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