Earlier this offseason, veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas was among numerous players linked to the Los Angeles Lakers when superstar forward LeBron James was considering signing a team-first contract to help the franchise.
Unfortunately, the Lakers weren’t able to use the opportunity to make an impactful addition. Afterward, James did end up signing a team-friendly deal in order to keep L.A. below the second apron, but he didn’t take the type of discount that would’ve opened up the non-taxpayer midlevel exception for the Purple and Gold.
In recent weeks, there hasn’t been as much buzz linking players like Valanciunas to the Lakers. However, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Valanciunas could still land with L.A. this year.
“I wouldn’t rule out Jonas Valanciunas eventually ending up on the Lakers this year,” Windhorst said. “That’s all I’m going to say.”
Valanciunas just landed with the Washington Wizards in a sign-and-trade transaction. He signed a three-year deal worth roughly $30 million in the process.
With the 32-year-old having joined a new team mere weeks ago, it may qualify as a bit of a surprise to hear that he could still be an option for the Lakers.
Valanciunas would bring some notable qualities to the table for the Purple and Gold. He has averaged a double-double in a handful of his NBA seasons, and he can also stretch the floor a bit.
He just wrapped up a three-season stint with the New Orleans Pelicans in which he averaged 14.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 34.1 percent from 3-point range.
Valanciunas also has a lot of playoff experience under his belt (58 games) and has performed well on that stage, averaging a double-double for his playoff career. He’s still chasing his first NBA title, so the Lakers would certainly be getting a player who’s motivated to accomplish that goal.
L.A.’s quiet offseason has frustrated many fans, with some feeling like the team entered the summer needing to make some notable changes to at least have a chance at being a factor in the Western Conference this coming season. Instead, the Lakers currently have a roster that looks very similar to last season’s.
That may be a frustrating reality, but if the team were to swing a deal for Valanciunas at some point, perhaps that would add some new life to the 2024-25 Lakers.
