Report: Many Around NBA Believe Jonas Valanciunas Was Signed By Wizards ‘Just To Be Traded’

According to NBA insider Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports, many people around the NBA believe Jonas Valanciunas was signed by the Washington Wizards “just to be traded.”

Valanciunas signed a three-year, $30.3 million contract with the Wizards this offseason as part of a sign-and-trade deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.

“It is a really smart deal for (Valanciunas) because it got him paid at a time when there were just not that many spots available—it’s musical chairs and if you do not get one of the first slots now with the new rules, you’re screwed,” one NBA exec said. “There’s not as much flexibility. But this gets you paid, and the team paying you can say, ‘Hey, we’ll get you to a contender when the time comes.’ You see it in baseball all the time, a guy who signs with a bad team just to be traded later, and you’re going to see more of it in our game.”

Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.8 blocks in 2023-24 for the Pelicans while shooting 55.9% from the field, 30.8% from beyond the arc and 78.5% from the free-throw line. He had 33 double-doubles. 

The 32-year-old Valanciunas has career averages of 13.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.4 blocks and 1.0 blocks with the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies and Pelicans. 

The Los Angeles Lakers were interested in signing Valanciunas this offseason. The Lakers and New York Knicks could look to acquire the veteran during the 2024-25 season. 

“The Knicks, we’ll see how their center spot develops,” one NBA exec told Heavy Sports last month, adding the Lakers as a contender for Valanciunas’ services. “The Warriors, if the (Lauri) Markkanen thing does not work out.”

Lauri Markkanen is expected to stay with the Utah Jazz, so don’t be surprised if the Golden State Warriors go after Valanciunas as well. 

The Warriors missed the playoffs in 2024, the Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round in five games and the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round in seven games. 

The Wizards are in rebuild mode. They won only 15 games in 2023-24.