Jonathan Kuminga had his eyes on a fresh start with the Bulls. But a surprising snag may have shut the door before it even opened.

The Nuggets traded Dario Šarić to the Sacramento Kings in return for Valančiūnas on July 1, but NBA insider Marc Stein reported a few days after the deal that the idea of playing in Europe held "strong appeal" for Valančiūnas as he mulled whether to seek a buyout from Denver.

This trade becoming official means that the Nuggets likely have no intention of letting Valančiūnas out of his current deal. Last season, Valančiūnas played 81 games for the Washington Wizards and Kings,