<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-lakers-jonas-valanciunas-backup-trade-options');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lakers’ Jonas Valanciunas backup trade options');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-Lakers-Jonas-Valanciunas-backup-trade-options.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lakers’ Jonas Valanciunas backup trade options</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T06:32:28-08:00">December 20th, 6:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T06:32:28-08:00">December 20th, 6:32am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers are <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/jake-fischer-latest-man-in-demand" rel="noopener">reportedly exploring</a> several backup trade options as they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-lakers-3-clear-needs-ahead-of-trade-deadline">continue to pursue a deal for Jonas Valanciunas</a>, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Valanciunas, currently under a three-year, $30 million contract, has been linked to a potential trade with the Washington Wizards. The 32-year-old center is averaging 12 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this season while shooting 55.8% from the field.</p><p>In the event a deal for Valanciunas does not materialize, Fischer reports that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-lakers-wont-be-trade-mix-jimmy-butler-2-other-stars">Lakers remain interested in Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III</a>. Williams, in the third year of a four-year, $48 million contract, is averaging 9.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting an impressive 73.8% from the field. Despite his ongoing injury concerns, Williams’ defensive versatility and pick-and-roll potential have made him a key piece for Portland, and the team is reportedly hesitant to trade him.</p><p>Another <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-lakers-linked-walker-kessler-trade">target for the Lakers is Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler</a>, who is posting averages of 11.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 72.8% from the field. Kessler is in the third year of his rookie-scale contract, making him a cost-effective option at $2.9 million this season and $4.8 million next season. It remains unclear whether the Jazz are open to moving him.</p><h2><b>Lakers could explore multiple backup options to address frontcourt needs</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Anthony-Davis-3-reacts-in-the-first-half-against-the-Memphis-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Fischer also identified several additional names the Lakers could consider if other options fall through. Among them are Toronto Raptors forward Chris Boucher, Brooklyn Nets center Day’Ron Sharpe, Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards, and New Orleans Pelicans center Daniel Theis. Each player brings different strengths and contract situations that could align with the Lakers’ needs for added depth.</p><p>Separately, Fischer noted that the Sacramento Kings have made Trey Lyles and Kevin Huerter available for trade, though there has been no indication of specific Lakers interest in those players.</p><p>The Lakers are currently 14-12 on the season and preparing for a key matchup against the Sacramento Kings, who hold a 13-14 record. As the team seeks to strengthen its roster, addressing size and depth remains a priority in maintaining their competitiveness in the Western Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Lakers’ Jonas Valanciunas backup trade options

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-lakers-ready-trade-for-jonas-valanciunas-asap');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lakers ready to trade for Jonas Valanciunas ASAP');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NBA-rumors-Lakers-ready-to-trade-for-Jonas-Valanciunas-ASAP.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lakers ready to trade for Jonas Valanciunas ASAP</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-13T06:52:14-08:00">December 13th, 6:52am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-13T06:52:14-08:00">December 13th, 6:52am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-lakers-potential-jonas-valanciunas-trade-offer-comes-light">Lakers have been mentioned in trade rumors</a> since the beginning of the season, and they’ve stayed consistent with the same name. Jonas Valanciunas is a target that the Lakers have been looking at since free agency, but he ultimately signed with the Washington Wizards.</p><p>With the Lakers needing help in the frontcourt and the Wizards looking to go to a youth movement, it only makes sense that Valanciunas could be traded, and it seems like LA is trying to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/charting-out-lakers-most-realistic-productive-path-trade-season" rel="noopener">do it as soon as possible</a>, according to Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints.</p><p>“According to those I’ve spoken to with knowledge of the situation, Washington and L.A. have already held preliminary talks about a Valanciunas deal, and the expectation is for those talks to ramp up once he can be traded,” Irwin said. The expectation is for the Lakers to offer Vincent and second-round pick compensation to the Wizards. They may also attach one of their veteran minimum contracts (Christian Wood, Cam Reddish, or Jaxson Hayes) in the deal to give themselves more room under the second apron and to open a roster spot.</p><p>“If multiple second-round picks seem expensive for Valanciunas, given the role he’d play and his three-year contract, consider it the price of getting Washington to make this move now rather than wait to see if some team gets even more desperate later in the year. The Lakers can wait to see if that price drops.”</p><p>The Lakers don’t have that many valuable players, but if they’re able to get Valanciunas for just Gabe Vincent, that’s a good deal for them.</p><h2>Jonas Valanciunas can improve Lakers’ frontcourt</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jonas-Valanciunas_4b7de1.jpg"><figcaption>Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Lakers have had trouble with their frontcourt this season outside of Anthony Davis. Christian Wood and Jared Vanderbilt have still not played a minute, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-jaxson-hayes-worrisome-injury-update-jj-redick">Jaxson Hayes was recently injured</a>. That leaves Christian Koloko, who hasn’t seen many minutes on the floor and isn’t that effective.</p><p>Jonas Valanciunas can help the Lakers in multiple ways, and he can be the center they need to move Davis to the four, where he can be more effective than he is now. Not only is Valanciunas a big body that can get physical in the paint, but he can stretch the floor and shoot from the perimeter if needed.</p><p>That’s definitely something the Lakers are looking for, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they made the trade as soon as they can.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Lakers ready to trade for Jonas Valanciunas ASAP

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-lakers-potential-jonas-valanciunas-trade-offer-comes-light');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lakers’ potential Jonas Valanciunas trade offer comes to light');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Lakers-potential-Jonas-Valanciunas-trade-offer-comes-to-light.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lakers’ potential Jonas Valanciunas trade offer comes to light</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-02T08:14:22-08:00">December 2nd, 8:14am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-03T12:48:56-08:00">December 3rd, 12:48pm</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-trade-paul-george-76ers-blow-it-up">Lakers continue to be in trade rumors</a> as the season progresses, and all the signs point to them being interested in improving their frontcourt. There have been several players linked to the Lakers, but the one that has stayed the most consistent is Jonas Valanciunas. With the Lakers having players such as Gabe Vincent, who could be used as trade bait, there’s a possibility he <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/top-nba-trade-candidates-for-the-2024-25-season/" rel="noopener">can be used in a trade</a> to get the Washington Wizards center, according to HoopsHype.</p><p>“Keep an eye on Los Angeles potentially dangling Vincent and future second-round picks to try and land Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, a coveted Lakers target,” HoopsHype reported.</p><p>Valanciunas has been a solid reserve player for the Wizards this season, and he’s been able to mentor Alex Sarr in his first year in the league. On the court, Valanciunas is put in the game to handle bigger matchups for the Wizards, and his inside-out game opens up the floor for the team.</p><p>At the same time, Valanciunas is at the point of his career where he can help a contender, and that’s why the Lakers have been linked to him ever since free agency when they tried to sign him. If Vincent and some second-round picks can get him, the Lakers shouldn’t hesitate.</p><h2>Lakers looking to upgrade frontcourt depth</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jonas-Valanciunas.jpg"><figcaption>Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-jaxson-hayes-brutal-injury-blow">Lakers have been dealing with injuries</a> to their center position all season, and with Jaxson Hayes supposed to be out for the next few weeks, they’re going to need to find some help. Anthony Davis has been holding down the fort and has been playing some of the best basketball in the league, but he can’t do it all by himself. Christian Koloko is the only available and healthy center right now, but he doesn’t get many minutes as is.</p><p>Christian Wood has not stepped on the floor this season as he’s still recovering from an injury, and Jared Vanderbilt hasn’t played either. Despite the injuries, the Lakers are still 12-8 and currently sixth in the Western Conference. Davis playing at a high level and LeBron James continuing to dominate in multiple ways has helped the Lakers stay afloat this season.</p><p>Another player who has played well is rookie Dalton Knecht, and he’s made his way into the starting lineup for the Lakers due to his ability to shoot the ball. If the Lakers could add another frontcourt piece to the team, they should be in good shape as the season continues.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Lakers’ potential Jonas Valanciunas trade offer comes to light

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/wizards-news-alex-sarr-defense-draws-jonas-valanciunas-best-league-admission');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards rookie Alex Sarr’s defense draws Jonas Valanciunas ‘best in the league’ admission');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Wizards-news-Alex-Sarrs-defense-draws-Jonas-Valanciunas-best-in-the-league-admission.jpg"></figure><h1>Wizards rookie Alex Sarr’s defense draws Jonas Valanciunas ‘best in the league’ admission</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-26T14:22:59-07:00">October 26th, 2:22pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-26T14:22:59-07:00">October 26th, 2:22pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Washington <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/wizards-news-jordan-poole-cant-stand-alex-sarr-slander">Wizards No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr</a> didn’t stuff the stat sheet in Thursday night’s 122-102 loss to the Boston Celtics, but he showed flashes of the exciting potential that made him a top prospect. Veteran big man <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/wizards-news-jonas-valanciunas-drops-alex-sarr-truth-bomb-stopping-celtics">Jonas Valanciunas already thinks</a> that the French international is one of the league’s best rim protectors.</p><p>Valanciunas said that Sarr <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1849875741917302865?s=46" rel="noopener">knows how to</a> “read the game.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I asked Jonas Valanciunas what he thought of Alex Sarr’s defensive performance against the Celtics. He said Sarr’s shot blocking ability is “one of the best in the league.” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wizards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wizards</a> <a href="https://t.co/6aJMjDFPoE">pic.twitter.com/6aJMjDFPoE</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1849875741917302865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“His shot-blocking ability is one of the best in the league. He’s still a young player, still growing, still learning, you know, in the gym all the time,” the 32-year-old said. “You know, shot-blocking is about reading the game, you know, about the sense. He’s got that, and he’s going up from there.”</p><p>Sarr had two blocks and four defensive rebounds across 22 minutes against the defending champion Celtics, while also guarding Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the perimeter. The 19-year-old’s next test comes against Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley on Saturday night, a big man who can handle the ball and score on all three levels.</p><p>However, Valanciunas will be there to help when needed. Washington’s pair of a promising rookie and a grizzled veteran at the four and five spots balances fresh legs with experience and high basketball IQ, something that’ll benefit both Sarr’s development and the team’s defense as a whole.</p><p>Valanciunas hit the ground running on Thursday, scoring 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting with five rebounds and two assists across 20 minutes off the bench. Washington went with a small starting lineup, using three guards with Kyle Kuzma at power forward and Sarr at center. However, with the Cavaliers’ big-man duo of Mobley and Jarrett Allen, expect Valanciunas to get more minutes.</p><h2><b>Jonas Valanciunas is a vital piece for Wizards</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Karl-Anthony-Town-goes-for-a-dunk.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Valanciunas is not only a valuable rim protector, but his screen-setting on offense helps generate open looks for his teammates. The 6-foot-11, 265-pounder is essentially a brick wall for whoever he’s screening for.</p><p>Second-year shooting guard Bilal Coulibaly loves having Valanciunas<a href="https://x.com/bijan_todd/status/1849130931489038587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1849130931489038587%7Ctwgr%5Ed88eee469a1e8b0e797d13de04f16dad9cd7a604%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwp.clutchpoints.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D3093022action%3Dedit" rel="noopener"> at his disposal,</a> via Monumental Sports Network’s Bijan Todd.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bilal Coulibaly LOVES playing with Jonas Valanciunas.</p><p>“He’s a force. Whenever he sets a screen for me, I feel like I’m wide open right after.” <a href="https://t.co/GpQbfEtLHq">pic.twitter.com/GpQbfEtLHq</a></p><p>— Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd) <a href="https://twitter.com/bijan_todd/status/1849130931489038587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Oh, he’s a force, like whenever he sets a screen for me, I feel like I’m wide-open right after,” the French international said. “Whenever he sets a screen to me, I’m like damn, I can’t get over it. So yeah, he’s a force…”</p><p>Coulibaly is one of several young Wizards still finding his way in the NBA, so having a big man like Valanciunas to help him get open is an invaluable asset. The 20-year-old struggled to find open looks against Boston, scoring just eight points on 1-for-2 shooting across 30 minutes, although he did have six rebounds and six assists.</p><p>However, Valanciunas’ role isn’t all about helping his teammates develop. The Lithuanian international must also produce individually for Washington to find success, especially against tough matchups like Allen on Saturday night. The 6-foot-9, 243-pounder already has five blocks through just two games and is one of the NBA’s best rim protectors.</p><p>Valanciunas, though, is a good bet to be an efficient shooter around the rim and a dependable rebounder. The 2011 fifth-overall pick averaged 12.2 points on 55.9% shooting with 8.8 rebounds across 23.5 minutes per game for the New Orleans Pelicans last season. Having such a high-percentage shooter provides a good safety net for a Wizards offense which often has peaks and valleys.</p><p>Valanciunas may not be around for the end of Washington’s rebuild, but there’s no question that he’s one of its most important helping hands at the moment.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards rookie Alex Sarr’s defense draws Jonas Valanciunas ‘best in the league’ admission

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/wizards-news-jonas-valanciunas-drops-alex-sarr-truth-bomb-stopping-celtics');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas drops Alex Sarr truth bomb on stopping Celtics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Jonas-Valanciunas-drops-Alex-Sarr-truth-bomb-on-stopping-Celtics.jpg"></figure><h1>Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas drops Alex Sarr truth bomb on stopping Celtics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-23T17:03:38-07:00">October 23rd, 5:03pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-23T17:59:18-07:00">October 23rd, 5:59pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Washington Wizards host the Boston Celtics to open their regular season slate in one of their hardest tests of the year on Thursday night. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-broadcast-trolls-lakers-mickey-mouse-title">defending-champion Celtics</a> are coming off of a nearly record-setting shooting performance against the New York Knicks, but Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas thinks that he and Alex Sarr can slow them down.</p><p>Valanciunas <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1849159582989406656?s=46" rel="noopener">explained why he’s confident</a> at Wednesday’s practice.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jonas Valanciunas on him and Alex Sarr matching up against the Celtics defensively:</p><p>“Alex is a really athletic guy, he can block shots…I’m bringing physicality, controlling the paint…I don’t like to talk before the fact, we gotta do it first, right?”<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wizards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wizards</a> <a href="https://t.co/Hxs3U82owx">pic.twitter.com/Hxs3U82owx</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1849159582989406656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“You know, Alex is a really athletic guy. He can block shots, he can add a lot with his length,” Valanciunas said. “Steals, being in passing lanes, long arms poking at the ball. Defensively, he’s perfect. I’m bringing physicality, controlling the paint. We’ll see. I don’t like to talk before the fact, we gotta do it first, right?”</p><p>While Valanciunas is going into his 14th season, Sarr will make his NBA debut. The No. 2 overall pick from this past summer won’t have it easy, as he’ll likely guard five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum at the power forward spot. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-goes-viral-amid-hot-start-vs-knicks">Tatum was unconscious against the Knicks</a>, scoring 37 points on 14-of-18 shooting, including 8-of-11 from deep, with 10 assists and four rebounds. Boston made 29 three-pointers as a team, tying the NBA single-game record.</p><p>Valanciunas, though, <a href="https://x.com/joshvaldez100/status/1849146825770410267?s=46" rel="noopener">kept things in perspective</a> for Washington’s rookies.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jonas Valanciunas on advice for the Wizards’ rookies making their NBA debuts tomorrow night against the defending-champion Celtics </p><p>“It’s a beautiful day to play”<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wizards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wizards</a> <a href="https://t.co/6C9Mi9BkMc">pic.twitter.com/6C9Mi9BkMc</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1849146825770410267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“It’s a beautiful day to play. It’s a really good team coming in, defending champions. Can’t ask for anything better,” Valanciunas said.</p><p>Valanciunas’ celebratory mindset is appropriate here. Sarr, as well as fellow rookies Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George, have worked their entire lives for this moment, and this game will be an unforgettable moment in their lives.</p><p>Pre-game nerves are understandable, but Sarr and company can ill-afford to be sheepish on the floor against a team of the Celtics’ caliber. Will Washington’s young group hold its own?</p><h2><b>Celtics present major test for Alex Sarr, Wizards</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/07-18-24-sarr-french-image.jpeg"><figcaption>© Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>One major factor that will help Washington is the absence of Boston center Kristaps Porzingis, who’s out with a foot injury. The 7-foot-2, 240-pounder averaged 20.1 points on 51.6% shooting with 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game last year and would’ve made life more difficult for the Wizards on both ends. Instead, Valanciunas will match up with Al Horford, who normally comes off the bench at this stage of his career.</p><p>While Valanciunas is mobile enough to defend the perimeter, expect him to stay down low more often than not in case Tatum drives past Sarr on the outside. The seven-foot, 205-pound Sarr has the talent and physical attributes to keep up with the Celtics’ star, but Tatum’s experience and craftiness will be tough for the rookie to handle consistently. As a result, Horford may get open looks from deep, which Washington must live with.</p><p>If Sarr does a credible job defensively, though, it’ll be a great first step for him. The French international was brought in primarily for his defense, and having a respectable outing against the class of the league right off the bat is nothing to take lightly.</p><p>However, basketball is a team sport, and Valanciunas’ presence will be vital to Sarr’s development. This game will be the first of many in which two big men at opposite points in their respective careers will partner up both in the paint and on the perimeter, protecting the rim and contesting shots as much as possible. Even if Thursday’s game doesn’t go as the two would like, it’s only the first episode of a long series.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas drops Alex Sarr truth bomb on stopping Celtics

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/wizards-news-jonas-valanciunas-makes-espn-top-100-before-brook-lopez-al-horford-2');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas just makes ESPN’s Top 100 before Brook Lopez, Al Horford');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Jonas-Valanciunas-just-makes-ESPNs-Top-100-before-Brook-Lopez-Al-Horford.jpg"></figure><h1>Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas just makes ESPN’s Top 100 before Brook Lopez, Al Horford</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-16T17:10:22-07:00">October 16th, 5:10pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-16T17:11:19-07:00">October 16th, 5:11pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Although the top 10 won’t be released until Thursday, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bulls-news-two-bulls-named-espn-top-100-rankings">ESPN revealed its top 100 NBA players</a> as the 2024-25 season approaches. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/jonas-valanciunas-net-worth">Washington Wizards big man Jonas Valanciunas</a> is the team’s lone representative, checking in at 91st.</p><p>Valanciunas’ <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/41555759/nba-rank-2024-2025-best-players-100-51" rel="noopener">durability helped him secure his spot</a> on the list, via ESPN’s Michael Wright.</p><p>“Valanciunas showcased incredible durability last season, playing in all 82 games and averaging a near double-double while shooting 56% from the floor. The 2023-24 campaign marked the eighth season in which the veteran played 70 games or more,” Wright said. “Washington features the NBA’s eighth-youngest roster, which means the Wizards will lean on Valanciunas’ veteran leadership.”</p><p>“His prowess in the paint should prove beneficial, given that Washington ranked last in second-chance points per game allowed last season and 29th in paint points allowed per game,” Wright continued.</p><p>Valanciunas signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Wizards in free agency this past summer after getting traded from the New Orleans Pelicans for a 2027 second-round pick. The 32-year-old’s ranking edged out fellow veteran centers Al Horford and Brook Lopez, who are 96th and 93rd, respectively. However, he finished behind younger counterparts like Isaiah Hartenstein (88th) and Mitchell Robinson (82nd).</p><p>Valanciunas will undoubtedly be a good example for power forward Alex Sarr to follow, who Washington drafted No. 2 overall this past spring. The Lithuanian international provides value both as a defender and stretch big on offense, both skills that the Wizards need Sarr to develop over the coming years.</p><p>Valanciunas, who was on Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James’ offseason wishlist, will most likely help Washington improve on its worst season in franchise history last year. How long the 13th-year veteran will remain on the team is unclear, but his contract has a no-trade restriction until December 15.</p><h2><b>Wizards are excited to have Jonas Valanciunas</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Jonas-Valanciunas.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Valanciunas provides much-needed assistance to a Wizards frontcourt that struggled last season. On Media Day, Washington forward Kyle Kuzma <a href="https://x.com/chasedcsports/status/1840775322335171000?s=46" rel="noopener">shared his reaction</a> to the 2011 first-round pick joining the squad, via Monumental Sports Network’s Chase Hughes.</p><p>“That we’re not going to be the worst defensive rebounding team in the league anymore,” Kuzma said.</p><p>Kuzma wasn’t far off, as the Wizards ranked 29th with 48.5 total rebounds per game last season, although they were 24th in defensive rebounds. Regardless, the seven-footer should prevent that history from repeating itself. He previewed what’s to come against the Toronto Raptors on October 11, registering 12 points, eight rebounds, and a block in just 22 minutes.</p><p>Even more so than individually producing, though, Washington needs Valanciunas to help Sarr elevate into a top 100 player one day.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Jonas Valanciunas just makes ESPN’s Top 100 before Brook Lopez, Al Horford

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/jonas-valanciunas-net-worth');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jonas Valanciunas’ net worth in 2024');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jonas-Valanciunas-net-worth-in-2024.jpg"></figure><h1>Jonas Valanciunas’ net worth in 2024</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-04T08:52:32-07:00">October 4th, 8:52am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-04T08:52:32-07:00">October 4th, 8:52am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/spencersee10" rel="facebook">Spencer See</a>Spencer See is a part-time writer at ClutchPoints focusing on the NBA, evergreen content and celebrity lifestyle. He is also a lifelong fan of LeBron James. In his free time, he either goes fishing or watches basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Jonas Valanciunas’ net worth in 2024 is $35 million. Valanciunas is a center for the Washington Wizards after they acquired him in a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-extract-value-from-departing-ufa-jonas-valanciunas">sign-and-trade deal with the New Orleans Pelicans</a>. Valanciunas is an NBA All-Rookie Second Team player. Here’s a closer look at Jonas Valanciunas’ net worth in 2024 as he prepares to start his 15th season in the NBA.</p><h2><b>What is Jonas Valanciunas’ net worth in 2024?: $35 million (estimate)</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jonas-Valanciunas-talks-with-Raptors-players.jpg"><figcaption>John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jonas Valanciunas’ net worth in 2024 <a href="https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-athletes/nba/jonas-valanciunas-net-worth/" rel="noopener">is $35 million</a>. This is according to reputable outlets such as Celebrity Net Worth.</p><p>Jonas Valanciunas was born on May 6, 1992, in Utena, Lithuania. As early as a teenager, Valanciunas already embarked on a career in basketball.</p><p>Valanciunas’ professional basketball career was started when he was signed by the Lithuanian National Basketball League’s Perlas Vilnius. Here, he developed his skills and potential as a big man during the 2008-09 season. Valanciunas averaged 7.5 points and 3.4 assists per game.</p><p>With Valanciunas flashing his potential, it wasn’t long before Lietuvos rytas Vilnius called him up from Perlas Vilnius. At the same time, Valanciunas inked a long-term contract with Lietuvos rytas Vilnius.</p><p>In the 2010-11 season, Valanciunas averaged 7.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game on 71% shooting in his Euroleague season debut for the Lietuvos rytas Vilnius. The Lithuanian center also played for the club in the EuroCup a season later, averaging 10.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game while making 63% of his shots.</p><h2><b>Jonas Valanciunas is drafted by the Raptors</b></h2><p>After making waves in Europe, Valanciunas was considered a top prospect. He eventually declared for the 2011 NBA Draft. On draft night, the Toronto Raptors selected Valanciunas in the first round with the fifth-overall pick.</p><p>Shortly after, Valanciunas signed a two-year rookie deal worth $6.9 million with the Raptors, according to <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/transactions/_/id/8055/jonas-valanciunas" rel="noopener">Spotrac</a>. In his rookie season, the Lithuanian prospect put up 8.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 56% from the field overall.</p><p>A year later, Valanciunas had a better sophomore season. He improved his numbers to 11.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game while hitting 53% from the field overall.</p><p>After three solid seasons with the Raptors, they rewarded Valanciunas with a lucrative four-year contract extension worth $64 million, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2015/08/20/raptors-sign-7-foot-jonas-valanciunas--64m-extension/32070469/" rel="noopener">according to a report</a> by USA Today. Fresh from a lucrative deal, Valanciunas posted respectable numbers. He tallied 12.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game on 57% shooting from the field overall.</p><p>But more importantly, with Valanciunas on the roster, the Raptors became a consistent playoff fixture. In 2016, Valanciunas was part of the Raptors team that made it as deep as the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. The Lithuanian center put up 13.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game on 57% shooting from the field.</p><h2><b>Jonas Valanciunas is traded to the Grizzlies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jonas-Valanciunas-plays-for-the-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Kim Klement-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Midway through the 2018-19 season, Valanciunas was part of a blockbuster trade that sent him to the Memphis Grizzlies. In exchange, the Raptors received Marc Gasol, who played an instrumental role in helping Toronto win its franchise’s first NBA championship.</p><p>On the other hand, Valanciunas had a solid stint individually for the rest of the 2018-19 season with the Grizzlies. He tallied a career-high 19.9 points, to go along with 10.7 rebounds and 1.6 rejections per game on 55% shooting from the field.</p><p>After Valanciunas’ deal expired, the Lithuanian big man returned to Memphis on a three-year deal worth $45 million, <a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/nba/grizzlies/2019/06/30/memphis-grizzlies-jonas-valanciunas-nba-free-agency/1612199001/" rel="noopener">as per reports</a>. Valanciunas served as the Grizzlies’ starting center for the next two seasons, averaging a double-double.</p><h2><b>Jonas Valanciunas is traded to the Pelicans</b></h2><p>After more than two seasons in a Grizzlies uniform, they traded Valanciunas to the New Orleans Pelicans in a deal that also involved Steven Adams and Eric Bledsoe. Shortly after, Valanciunas agreed to a two-year deal worth $30 million with the Pelicans, <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/pelicans/news/new-orleans-center-jonas-valanciunas-a-pillar-of-the-pelicans-team" rel="noopener">based on online outlets</a>.</p><p>Valanciunas also served as the Pelicans starting center and does so until today. In 235 games across three seasons thus far, Valanciunas posted 14.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game on 55% shooting from the field overall. Moreover, Valanciunas has also helped the Pelicans make two playoff appearances in the span of three seasons.</p><p>Given that Valanciunas is a legitimate starter, it isn’t surprising that the Lithuanian center has garnered some popularity in the NBA. As a result, some well-known brands have decided to partner with the Pelicans center. <a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/jonas-valanciunas-net-worth" rel="noopener">According to sources</a>, Valanciunas has endorsed brands such as UBER and Itty Bitty Ballers.</p><h2><b>Jonas Valanciunas representing Lithuania internationally</b></h2><p>Valanciunas has represented the Lithuania national basketball team as early as the youth level. He put up 15.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game early on, collecting bronze at the 2007 U-16 European Championship and gold medals at the 2007 European Youth Olympic Festival, 2008 U-16 European Championship, 2010 European U-18 Championship, and 2011 U-18 World Cup.</p><p>The Wizards center has also played at the seniors level for Lithuania. He answered the call of duty for Lithuania in five EuroBasket tournaments, collecting silver in 2013 and 2015. In addition to this, Valanciunas also played in Lithuania’s European World Cup qualifying games and Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2020.</p><p>Valanciunas has also led Lithuania to two Olympic appearances and three FIBA World Cup appearances. In the 2014 FIBA World Cup, Lithuania finished in fourth place allowing them to pocket $350,000 each.</p><p>Five years later, Valanciunas led his home country to a ninth-place finish, raking in $550,000 in additional prize money. Just recently at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Lithuania finished sixth, collecting $960,000 overall, <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/in/nba/news/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-prize-money/815f902d187159cdb638d653" rel="noopener">as per reports</a>.</p><p>Nevertheless, were you at all stunned by Jonas Valanciunas’ net worth in 2024?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jonas Valanciunas’ net worth in 2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-news-new-orleans-bolsters-frontcourt-following-jonas-valanciunas-departure-nba-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans bolster frontcourt following Jonas Valanciunas’ departure in NBA free agency');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/New-Orleans-bolsters-frontcourt-following-Jonas-Valanciunas-departure-in-NBA-free-agency.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans bolster frontcourt following Jonas Valanciunas’ departure in NBA free agency</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-26T18:35:22-07:00">July 26th, 6:35pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-26T18:35:22-07:00">July 26th, 6:35pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans have a question mark at the center position heading into the 2024-25 NBA season. Jonas Valanciunas was a free agent and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-extract-value-from-departing-ufa-jonas-valanciunas">he was acquired</a> by the Washington Wizards in a sign and trade with the Pelicans. Valanciunas’ departure in free agency leaves the Pelicans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-news-daniel-theis-contract-jonas-valanciunas-free-agency-departure">thin at center</a>, but <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1816944026878152776" rel="noopener">they claimed second-year big</a> man Trey Jemison off of waivers on Friday as per Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.com.</p><p>Looking at the Pelicans current depth chart, they had veteran big man Daniel Theis and rookie big man Yves Missi as the only two centers on the team prior to the acquisition of Jemison. Clearly the biggest question for the Pelicans is who is going to be the starting center come opening night?</p><p>Theis was actually a very solid pickup by the Pelicans, but at this point in his career he’s a backup. It’s possible that Missi is thrown to the fire from the get-go as the starting center. It’s sure to be something to keep an eye on as training camp rolls around.</p><h2><b>Who is Trey Jemison?<br></b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Trey-Jemison-drives-to-the-basket.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Trey Jemison joins the Pelicans after having split time last season between the Washington Wizards and the Memphis Grizzlies. He went undrafted out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and played for the Phoenix Suns during NBA Summer League in 2023</p><p>The Pelicans are familiar with Jemison having brought him to training camp after his stint with the Suns in summer league. He did not make the Pelicans final roster, but he went on to play for the Birmingham Squadron, their G League affiliate. It was there that he caught the attention of the Wizards.</p><p>The Wizards ended up signing Jemison to a 10-day contract. He only appeared in two games for the Wizards and they opted not to extend a second 10-day contract to him. But he was immediately signed by the Grizzlies to a 10-day contract. He played well enough that the Grizzlies signed him to a two-way contract after his 10-day expired.</p><p>Due to the numerous injuries the Grizzlies suffered last season, Jemison was slotted in as the team’s starting center. He appeared in 23 games for the Grizzlies, including 14 starts. He averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocked shots with splits of 55.1 percent shooting from the field and 84 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>With the Pelicans claiming Jemison’s contract off of waivers, he will be on a two-way contract this season provided that he makes it past training camp. His addition fills the final two-way contract spot for the team alongside Jamal Cain and Malcolm Hill.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans bolster frontcourt following Jonas Valanciunas’ departure in NBA free agency

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-brian-windhorst-lakers-trade-jonas-valanciunas');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Brian Windhorst hints at Lakers trading for Jonas Valanciunas during season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Brian-Windhorst-hints-at-Lakers-trading-for-Jonas-Valanciunas-during-season.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Brian Windhorst hints at Lakers trading for Jonas Valanciunas during season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-23T07:54:50-07:00">July 23rd, 7:54am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-23T08:55:21-07:00">July 23rd, 8:55am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Brian Windhorst of ESPN believes the Los Angeles Lakers <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti2xOgGQUJg&amp;t=1110s" rel="noopener">may be a landing destination</a> for Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas during the 2024 season.</p><p>“Do we think Jonas Valanciunas will be an offer from the Wizards midway through the season… I wouldn’t rule out Jonas Valanciunas eventually ending up as a Laker this year,” Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective, via NBA on ESPN. “That’s all I’m gonna say.”</p><p>Valanciunas is a veteran center with a proven track record. Los Angeles has often been linked to centers over the years, whether it is for the purpose of depth or perhaps even a starter alongside Anthony Davis. Windhorst thinks LA will emerge as a potential suitor for the big man should Washington make him available at some point during the 2024-25 season.</p><p>Of course, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-lakers-still-among-teams-linked-cam-johnson-trade">Lakers are seemingly always mentioned</a> in trade rumors. Rumors do not always become reality. However, Valanciunas will be an intriguing trade candidate.</p><p>Washington is not expected to compete during the upcoming campaign. Valanciunas’ veteran prowess and ability to control the boards will catch the attention of contenders. The Lakers will likely be a contender this season, whether it is for a playoff or play-in spot.</p><h2><b>Jonas Valanciunas will catch Lakers’ attention</b></h2><p>The 32-year-old center will likely be a popular trade candidate during the 2024-25 season. He is not necessarily a star, but Valanciunas is consistent. He is going to give a team around 13 points and 10 rebounds per game.</p><p>Valanciunas shoots in the mid-50s from the field and can even knock down the occasional 3-point shot.</p><p>He played in all 82 games for the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2023-24 season. Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points per game on 55.9 percent field-goal shooting. He added 8.8 rebounds per game. His numbers were down from his career averages, but he still recorded respectable statistics.</p><p>If the Lakers find themselves needing help in the paint this season, expect Valanciunas’ name to be mentioned as a trade candidate.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Brian Windhorst hints at Lakers trading for Jonas Valanciunas during season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-news-daniel-theis-contract-jonas-valanciunas-free-agency-departure');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans add Clippers big man after Jonas Valanciunas free agency departure');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Pelicans-news-New-Orleans-adds-Clippers-big-man-after-Jonas-Valanciunas-free-agency-departure.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans add Clippers big man after Jonas Valanciunas free agency departure</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-08T09:15:43-07:00">July 8th, 9:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-08T09:15:51-07:00">July 8th, 9:15am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans and veteran big man Daniel Theis have <a href="https://x.com/wojespn/status/1810339016551674321" rel="noopener">agreed</a> to a 1-year contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.</p><p>After Jonas Valanciunas decided to leave in free agency, opting to sign a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/wizards-news-washington-stealing-lebron-james-lakers-target-free-agency">3-year, $30 million contract</a> with the Washington Wizards, the Pelicans were left scrambling for answers in their frontcourt. This is especially true with Larry Nance Jr. being on the move as well due to the Pelicans’ acquiring Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>Theis, 32, now joins the Pelicans, where he will have a chance to become the team’s starting center. At this time, Theis is the only true big man on New Orleans’ roster. Rookie first-round pick <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yves-missis-mediocre-major-college-moments-should-worry-pelicans">Yves Missi will join him</a> on the roster once he signs his contract.</p><p>The German big man began his NBA career with the Boston Celtics during the 2017-18 season. Theis made a name for himself by being a reliable defender who could stretch the floor and knock down shots on the opposite side of the floor. He then went on to play for the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, and most recently, the Los Angeles Clippers.</p><p>This past season, Theis played in a total of 59 games for the Clippers, averaging 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from three-point range. His ability to play on the perimeter offensively will open up the floor tremendously for the Pelicans.</p><h2><b>Theis’ contract adds to busy Pelicans offseason</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Pelicans-David-Griffin.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The Pelicans have been one of the busiest teams in the NBA so far this offseason. In addition to parting ways with Valanciunas in free agency and drafting who they believe to be their future center in Yves Missi, the Pelicans also made a big move to acquire Murray from the Hawks.</p><p>Murray, who had been linked to New Orleans dating back to before the trade deadline, now finds himself paired with CJ McCollum in the backcourt. He did come at a hefty price, as the Pelicans were forced to part ways with Dyson Daniels, EJ Liddell, Cody Zeller, Larry Nance Jr., and two future first-round picks.</p><p>After signing Theis, the Pelicans are by no means done making moves this offseason. Including both Theis and Missi, the Pelicans have a total of 13 players on their roster. However, the big elephant in the room revolves around Brandon Ingram and whether the franchise <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-pelicans-brandon-ingram-trade-talks-intensifying">will be trading him</a>.</p><p>Ingram has been with the Pelicans each of the last five seasons, yet the organization has failed to make it out of the first round of the playoffs. In fact, this team has only been to the playoffs two times, with Ingram as a focal point on their roster. As he enters the final year of his contract, the former All-Star wing remains one of the best players available around the league in trade chatter.</p><p>Executive David Griffin is going to have to get creative with finding ways to surround his stars with viable talents, especially because the Western Conference is a juggernaut. The Pelicans have proven that they can play at a high level and keep up with the best of the best around the league, but time is beginning to run out for this core group to prove that they are the winning equation in New Orleans.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans add Clippers big man after Jonas Valanciunas free agency departure

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/pelicans-extract-value-from-departing-ufa-jonas-valanciunas');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans extract value from departing UFA Jonas Valanciunas');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Pelicans-extract-value-from-departing-UFA-Jonas-Valanciunas.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans extract value from departing UFA Jonas Valanciunas</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-06T17:48:20-07:00">July 6th, 5:48pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-06T17:48:20-07:00">July 6th, 5:48pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a New Orleans Pelicans beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The NBA’s wheeling and dealing season has been heating up for a while but now everything can be officially filed with the league. Some negotiations are expanding while others are being wrapped up quickly now that the July 6 moratorium has been lifted. The New Orleans Pelicans are in the middle of the action on several fronts and have seemingly squeezed the last bit of value out of Jonas Valanciunas.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-facing-luxury-tax-issues-after-dejounte-murray-trade">Pelicans were facing tax issues</a> in the wake of acquiring Dejounte Murray. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/3-reasons-yves-missi-pelicans-steal">New Orleans nabbing Yves Missi</a> with the 21st overall pick was just one of many signs Valanciunas would be leaving town. The Lithuanian putting his house on the market, and selling quickly, was another signal the Pelicans would need at least one new frontcourt piece.</p><p>Now the team has made the official announcement. They have acquired a protected 2027 second-round pick from the Washington Wizards in exchange for center Jonas Valančiūnas as part of a sign-and-trade agreement between the two teams. New Orleans has also created a very useful Traded Player Exception worth $9.9 million.</p><p>New Orleans only receives that 2027 second-rounder if it falls after the 50th pick. The $9.9 million TPE is far more valuable as it would allow the Pelicans to absorb a salary up to that value without sending out anyone in return. It is a mechanism that makes finding a replacement center far easier if Brandon Ingram’s ‘mild’ trade market fails to produce a decent offer.</p><h2><b>Pelicans have options with Traded Player Exception</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Jonas-Valanciunas-rises-up-for-a-shot.jpg"><figcaption>Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The Pelicans saw the writing on the wall for months. Still, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin showed Valanciunas respect in a thank you note released once the deal was official.</p><p>“In addition to being an extremely valuable member of our starting lineup in multiple playoff runs, Jonas distinguished himself as a consummate teammate and professional,” Griffin said. “He and his family will be missed. We wish him nothing but success as he continues his career.”</p><p>The seven-foot, 265-pound Lithuanian appeared in 235 games with the Pelicans over the last three seasons. Valanciuncas started every single contest while averaging 14.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 26.1 minutes per game. The Pelicans got 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 23.5 minutes per game from Valanciunas last season but those are still big shoes to fill.</p><p>New Orleans needs a starting center now but has up to a full year to use the $9.9 million Traded Player Exception. Unfortunately, the big market market is drying up quickly. The Pelicans even did a sign-and-trade to send Cody Zeller to the Atlanta Hawks. Sending Zeller out does signal the Pelicans do have something lined up, but what?</p><p>Jock Landale ($8M) and Kevon Looney ($8M) are the only two obvious targets for the new $9.9 million TPE. Nick Richards ($5M) and Walker Kessler ($2.9M) could be acquired using alternative methods, like a $5.3 million TPE created in the Kira Lewis Jr. deal. Everyone else is either too expensive or not quite up to the standard the Pelicans need to make another NBA Playoffs run.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans extract value from departing UFA Jonas Valanciunas

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-lakers-eye-brook-lopez-trade-face-jonas-valanciunas-competitor');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lakers eye Brook Lopez trade, face Jonas Valanciunas competitor');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Lakers-eye-Brook-Lopez-trade-face-competition-for-Jonas-Valanciunas-1.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lakers eye Brook Lopez trade, face Jonas Valanciunas competitor</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-30T17:21:40-07:00">June 30th, 5:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-30T17:21:40-07:00">June 30th, 5:21pm</time><address><a href="https://nextmanupblog.medium.com/">Jay Postrado</a>Jay Postrado is a sports writer for ClutchPoints, with expertise in covering the NBA, NFL, MLB, Tennis, and Formula 1. He is a lifelong motorsports and tennis fan. Jay's need for speed may no longer be on the grid or courts but has stayed with him through writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers have gone through a lot of sagas since the end of the NBA season. They got JJ Redick and are planning to clear more space after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-rich-paul-reveals-lebron-james-priority-for-new-contract">LeBron James opted out of his deal.</a> So, what’s the next move? Well, it looks like they are getting some reinforcements to help Anthony Davis. This could come in the form of getting the Milwaukee Bucks’ splash mountain in Brook Lopez or acquiring the New Orleans Pelicans’ Lithuanian Lightning in Jonas Valanciunas.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-2-players-lakers-are-interested-re-signing">Rob Pelinka and the Lakers know</a> that their championship window is getting smaller by the day. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both getting old which means they should capitalize on building around them while they are still in their primes. However, there seem to be hurdles in the big man position that they need to overcome. This is where Brook Lopez and Jonas Valanciunas enter.</p><p>The Lakers are <a href="https://x.com/JakeLFischer/status/1807508503797325964" rel="noopener">reportedly eyeing a trade</a> for Brook Lopez, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. The big man who can pull from deep and erase jumpshots at their apex could be a huge help for the squad. He is currently averaging 12.5 points on an insane 48.5% clip from all three levels of scoring. Moreover, his outside shot has been falling 36.6% of the time. He would also help out Anthony Davis become more flexible on both ends of the floor. Lopez can be the rim protector while The Brow can thrive on roaming. Adding a 2.4 blocks per game guy is going to give them a big boost.</p><p>Another guy in the mix of all these trade rumors is Jonas Valanciunas. The Lakers are going to get a 12.2 points-a-night guy who knocks down his shots from the field with a 55.9% percentage. Unbeknownst to many, Valanciunas has also developed a three-pointer. It might not be as potent as Lopez but those shots he takes from deep go down 30.8% of the time.</p><h2><b>The Lakers’ need for a secondary big man</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/while-Milwaukee-Bucks-center-Brook-Lopez-11-defends.jpg"><figcaption>© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood are both serviceable players but the amount of production they are giving the LeBron James-led squad might not be cutting it. Their overall impact in helping Davis on the inside whether it is on the boards or in rim protection has not been that great either.</p><p>Opponents shot at a 54% clip whenever they got a look within the arc. This ranks the Lakers 14th in the league when it comes to that statistic. Having either one of these aforementioned names is surely going to increase that number. Their block percentage also ranks 12th in the league with a valuation of 5.9% per game. These two have had great stretches of being primary rim protectors. There is no question that they will have both Wood and Hayes beat in that category too.</p><p>It is clear what the Lakers want out of NBA Free Agency. A big man who has a good outside shooting stroke while also being a good rebounder and rim protector is what they are shopping for. Will they get one of these guys eventually?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Lakers eye Brook Lopez trade, face Jonas Valanciunas competitor

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-pelicans-interested-magic-trade-to-replace-jonas-valanciunas');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Pelicans interested in Magic trade to replace Jonas Valanciunas');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/NBA-rumors-Pelicans-interested-in-Magic-trade-to-replace-Jonas-Valanciunas.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Pelicans interested in Magic trade to replace Jonas Valanciunas</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-30T14:27:10-07:00">June 30th, 2:27pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-30T14:27:10-07:00">June 30th, 2:27pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Friday evening, the New Orleans Pelicans made a splash on the trade market when it was announced that they would be trading for Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray in exchange for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance, Jr., and two future first round picks. It was a hefty price<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-2-dark-horse-brandon-ingram-trade-possibilities"> for the Pelicans</a> to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/hawks-news-atlanta-trades-dejounte-murray-pelicans">pay for Murray</a>, who saw his defensive reputation take a severe hit during his tenure with the Hawks but remains a gifted shot creator, something that New Orleans was in desperate need of during their first round sweep loss at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.</p><p>Another potential <a href="https://hoopshype.com/lists/nba-rumors-lebron-james-paul-george-klay-thompson-brandon-ingram-isaiah-hartenstein-more/" rel="noopener">area of need</a> for this Pelicans group is around the basket, as center Jonas Valanciunas can leave the team once free agency begins on Sunday at 6:00 PM ET. If the latest reports are any indication, it seems that the Pelicans are already making plans for reinforcements in the event that the big man does indeed take his talents elsewhere.</p><p>“Amid the expected (Isaiah) Hartenstein courtship, rival teams have expressed trade interest in Magic center Wendell Carter Jr., including the New Orleans Pelicans, league sources told HoopsHype,” reported NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. “The Pelicans are searching to add a center, with Jonas Valanciunas expected to depart in free agency…”</p><p>Wendell Carter profiles as one of the more intriguing, under the radar big men in the game today, capable of stretching the floor and showing good versatility and instincts to make up for his relative lack of size for the position.</p><h2><b>What is the Pelicans’ ceiling?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Valanciunas-after-a-play.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>A lot of that will depend on what ends up happening with small forward Brandon Ingram, who the Pelicans could still theoretically look to trade if the two sides can’t come to an agreements on a contract extension. Right now, it doesn’t seem that Ingram and the Pelicans are seeing eye to eye on that front.</p><p>Even without Ingram, this Pelicans’ team has a lot to like. While Murray and CJ McCollum will likely be a turnstile on defense just as Murray and Trae Young were in Atlanta, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy are both elite wing defenders who can help compensate for that, and if the team does bring in Carter, that gives them another plus defender in the mix.</p><p>Of course, the biggest question mark with New Orleans, as has been the case ever since they drafted him back in 2019, is the health of Zion Williamson. When Williamson is on the court, the Pelicans can compete with anyone, as he truly is one of the best 15 to 20 players in the NBA, boasting a unique combination of explosiveness and touch around the rim that is nearly impossible to fully shut off.</p><p>However, despite enjoying the healthiest season of his career to date in 2023-24, Williamson sustained an injury at the worst possible time against the Los Angeles Lakers in the play-in game and was forced to miss the entire (four game) postseason run.</p><p>In any case, the Pelicans could certainly look a lot different when next season rolls around.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Pelicans interested in Magic trade to replace Jonas Valanciunas

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/ranking-10-pelicans-trades-fill-jonas-valanciunas-starting-spot');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ranking 10 Pelicans trades to fill Jonas Valanciunas’ starting spot');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ranking-10-Pelicans-trades-to-fill-Jonas-Valanciunas-starting-spot.jpg"></figure><h1>Ranking 10 Pelicans trades to fill Jonas Valanciunas’ starting spot</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-28T10:08:03-07:00">June 28th, 10:08am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-28T10:08:03-07:00">June 28th, 10:08am</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a New Orleans Pelicans beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans came out of the 2024 NBA Draft with Yves Missi and Antonio Reeves but still need a starting center on the roster. Unrestricted free agent Jonas Valanciunas is leaving some big shoes to fill. As the front office strategizes for the upcoming season, they face the challenge of finding a center who can fit next to Zion Williamson on offense and still function in Willie Green’s defensive schemes.</p><p>Unfortunately, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yves-missis-mediocre-major-college-moments-should-worry-pelicans">Missi will not be ready</a> to contribute both for a few years. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/3-reasons-yves-missi-pelicans-steal">Pelicans are betting</a> the Baylor one-and-done big man pans out by his third season. That would be a success. However, Valanciunas is going to be hard to replace in free agency and New Orleans needs help immediately. Isaiah Hartenstein is going to command $20 million a year on the open market and the organization has found enticing big names difficult.</p><p>New Orleans has also not committed that much money to a free agent since Solomon Hill. That leaves EVP David Griffin and GM Bryson Graham to scour the trade market for any sort of upgrade over veteran minimum talents like Cody Zeller or the unproven, inexperienced Karlo Matkovic. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/3-reasons-pelicans-must-pursue-trae-young-before-other-options">Pelicans should leave no stone</a> unturned when ranking trade scenarios for roster upgrades. Being able to take a ‘no’ is a requirement in this business; having the audacity to pull off a heist is how executives excel.</p><h2><b>1. Prying more from Portland</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Deandre-Ayton-defends-Zion-Williamson.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Donovan Clingan effectively clogging up their front court rotations. New Orleans can come to the rescue and give Deandre Ayton a great redemption story opportunity. Jerami Grant will be the centerpiece of a counter offer but the Pelicans need to hold firm for the seven-foot-tall 26-year-old All-Star over the 6-foot-7 30-year-old journeyman.</p><p>Clingan, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe are the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/blazers-anfernee-simons-trade-speculation-grows-after-gms-comments">Trail Blazers core going forward</a>. The Pelicans could pry Ayton and Anfernee Simons out of the Pacific Northwest for Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr. New Orleans would likely want to include more salary.</p><p>Finding a third team with picks that can be swapped or protected might be necessary to facilitate the deal. Jordan Hawkins, Jose Alvarado, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl can act as sweeteners or make-weight salaries. Either way, addressing both areas of need in one trade would be a masterstroke. Well, depending on the draft assets changing hands.</p><h2><b>2. Getting mixed up with Minnesota</b></h2><p>The Minnesota Timberwolves took their shot at a championship but fell short in the Western Conference finals. Now the organization is in the news more for ownership squabbles instead of roster reshaping issues. The Pelicans should use this as an opportunity to pounce on the best big man to come out of Minnesota since Kevin Garnett.</p><p>Karl-Anthony Towns for Brandon Ingram with Larry Nance Jr. going to a third team helps everyone. Towns gets to pair up with Zion Williamson which is a far better running partner fit than Rudy Gobert. Anthony Edwards gets a running partner on the wing in Ingram. The Timberwolves get a huge bit of luxury tax relief while the Pelicans only add $2 million to their cap.</p><h2>3. Calling the Cavaliers about Allen</h2><p>The Pelicans could explore a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/what-pelicans-need-pull-off-brandon-ingram-blockbuster-trade">blockbuster trade involving Brandon Ingram</a> to acquire Jarrett Allen. Allen, an All-Star center, brings a combination of shot-blocking, rebounding, and efficient scoring. He also has a bit of an axe to grind with the Cleveland Cavaliers following some NBA Playoffs absentees. Allen’s absence during the playoffs caused frustration within the organization. His refusal of a pain-numbing injection led to speculation about his commitment. If the Cavaliers prioritize Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell under new head coach Kenny Atkinson then Allen would become an in-demand target.</p><h2><b>4. Knicks need to shed salary</b></h2><p>Larry Nance Jr for Mitchell Robinson and a second-round pick or a swap option is a simple, straightforward way to address both team’s issues. Nance Jr. ($11.2 MM) is an expiring salary that New York can flip if he does not work out in the front court. Robinson is somewhat of a local talent with two years remaining on a $14.3 million deal. The Pelicans would have a starting center and a decent-sized expiring contract next summer.</p><h2><b>5. Making Magic’s dial tone disappear</b></h2><p>At 6-foot-10, 270 pounds, the 25-year-old Wendell Carter Jr. is a versatile big man who can contribute on both ends of the court. His defensive skills, shot-blocking ability, and rebounding make him an attractive asset despite missing time with injuries last season. A knock on the hand that required surgery is very unpredictable and it’s not like Carter Jr. has a history of missing time with minor ailments.</p><p>The Pelicans could benefit from his presence in the paint, especially alongside Zion Williamson. Carter Jr. averaged 11.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game last season. He does not need an offense built around him but a defense with Carter Jr. and Herb Jones as the pillars would be formidable.</p><h2><b>6. Buying talent from the Bucks</b></h2><p>Brook Lopez might be 36 years old but can still move the needle for a team looking to leap out of the migraine-inducing Play-In Tournament.  The Pelicans can keep their All-Star asset powder dry in this deal. Use Larry Nance Jr., Jordan Hawkins, E.J. Liddell, and the rights to Karlo Matkovic. Throw a kitchen sink worth of dimes and nickels at Milwaukee. Just leave the negotiations with the solid dollar that is Lopez.</p><h2><b>7. Ready to re-light fuse with Rockets</b></h2><p>The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reported before the 2024 NBA Draft that the Houston Rockets <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5574543/2024/06/20/rockets-draft-notebook-donovan-clingan/" rel="noopener">rejected advances</a> from the Pelicans. The idea of getting Brandon Ingram for young center Alperen Sengun was too out-of-this-world for Houston. New Orleans cannot give up a ransom but they do need to relight the fuse to spark up some conversations. That report tanked Ingram’s ‘mild’ trade market. Use some new dialogue to at least boost Ingram’s value back up to where it was last summer. Maybe Houston will hear a different tune the next time someone asks for Sengun.</p><h2><b>8. Juke the Jazz out of a rookie-scale deal</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Walker-Kessler-dunks-on-Larry-Nance-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The Utah Jazz are reported ready to give up trying to tame Walker Kessler, who averaged 8.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks last season. If Utah was too quiet for Kessler the Pelicans have to be ready to engage in some conversations. Not many young, stout big men who could patrol the paint are ever available. The Houston Rockets were not interested in giving up Alperen Sengun for Brandon Ingram. Getting Kessler while keeping Ingram in-house would be good business.</p><h2><b>9. Last call on Clint Capela</b></h2><p>Clint Capela has been a consistent but not close to All-Star level center the past few seasons. However, according to Matt Moore, the 30-year-old on an expiring contract <a href="https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/nba-free-agency-trade-rumors-outlook-30-teams?utm_content=buffer8bd02&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer">might not be very appealing</a> to New Orleans going forward.</p><p>“Everyone wants centers,” wrote Moore, “but Capela is 30 and a very traditional big who hasn’t had a strong season in a while.”</p><p>The Pelicans have to recognize Capela’s downward trend plainly charted on the stat sheets. Capela averaged 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game last season. He will find a lack of the same opportunities in New Orleans that were available in Atlanta, especially if Trae Young is included in the deal.</p><h2><b>10. Nets haven’t lost faith in Nic Claxton</b></h2><p>The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly going to sign Nic Claxton to a four-year, $100 million deal. One last pass at a sign-and-trade framework before free agency begins is merely due diligence but it must be done.</p><p>The center position is crucial to Williamson and the team’s success. The stakes are getting higher for the Pelicans as the roster gets more expensive. The Western Conference is only getting tougher as well. Griffin and Graham face a delicate balancing act between immediate impact and long-term team building. Will the revamped front office find a deal or be stuck digging through the leftovers? It’s a ‘wait and see’ game for fans urging Griffin to go<a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1806105227327631861" rel="noopener"> ‘all the way in’</a> sooner rather than later.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ranking 10 Pelicans trades to fill Jonas Valanciunas’ starting spot

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-lakers-linked-to-jonas-valanciunas-jerami-grant');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Lakers linked to Jonas Valanciunas, Jerami Grant');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Lakers-Jonas-Valanciunas-Jerami-Grant.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Lakers linked to Jonas Valanciunas, Jerami Grant</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-25T07:10:08-07:00">June 25th, 7:10am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-25T07:10:08-07:00">June 25th, 7:10am</time><address><a>Sam DiGiovanni</a>Sam DiGiovanni started at ClutchPoints as an associate editor in 2021 and became the site's Philadelphia 76ers beat reporter ahead of the 2022-23 season. He graduated from Marist College in May of 2022 and has written for TheKnicksWall.com and CenterFieldMarist.com in the past.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Now that the Los Angeles Lakers have their coaching vacancy squared away, they can turn their full attention to the upcoming draft and filling out their roster.</p><p>The roster for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-jj-redick-nsfw-message-head-coach">rookie head coach</a> JJ Redick will have to be a very good one in order for the Lakers to compete with the best of the best. LeBron James and Anthony Davis aren’t going anywhere barring a crazy change in developments but it will take more than them to make another deep playoff run.</p><p>The Lakers have plenty of options to go to this offseason. Two veterans <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/with-new-coach-jj-redick-at-the-helm-the-lakers-draft-strategy-beginning-to-take-shape-232824674.html" rel="noopener">on the team’s radar</a>, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports are Jonas Valanciunas and Jerami Grant. The former is an unrestricted free agent while the latter is under contract for at least three more seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers.</p><h2><b>Lakers considering additions of Jonas Valanciunas, Jerami Grant</b></h2><p>Fischer writes the following: “There have since been several centers linked to the Lakers at No. 17 in Wednesday’s NBA Draft, most recently Baylor freshman Yves Missi as well as Indiana sophomore Ke’lel Ware. Pelicans center Jonas Valančiūnas, who’s approaching unrestricted free agency, has been another big man often mentioned by NBA figures as a potential Lakers frontcourt addition this summer.”</p><p>The Lakers adding Missi or Ware would give them an infusion of youth, size and athleticism. Adding Valanciunas, whose tenure in New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-pelicans-phase-jonas-valanciunas-out-future-plans">appears to be over</a>, would give them a different type of size. It would also be another instance of a Pelicans center heading to the Lakers.</p><p>The 32-year-old Valanciunas played in all 82 games last season but his numbers took a hit. He averaged 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while shooting 55.9 percent from the field. Having JV would give the Lakers a solid scoring option down low and a tough rebounder. But it would limit their ability to play with a lot of pace or space or defensive versatility. If Redick wants to instill a more methodical style of play, Valanciunas is a solid option to have.</p><p>Fischer writes that Grant is “believed to be another potential addition on the Lakers’ wishlist.” Since the Blazers are rebuilding, it stands to reason that they would be willing to trade him away. The Lakers do have some contracts to couple together and trade, though they may not have enough intriguing young players or draft picks to make Portland want to give up Grant, a player the team values a lot.</p><p>Grant played just 54 games last season, averaging 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest. He shot 40.2 percent from deep and can defend multiple positions, making him an intriguing player to put next to James as the other starting forward. Over the past few seasons, he became more of a shot creator, which means he could take some of the pressure off of James or Davis from time to time.</p><p>The Lakers don’t have any time to search through a bunch of options before finding the right mix of guys. They have a profound urgency to put a good team in place staring right at them.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
11.6	7.9	2.2	0.8	0.4

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
11.6	7.9	2.2	0.8	0.4

Jonas Valančiūnas news

Jonas
Valančiūnas news