Coming into the offseason, one of the big needs for the Los Angeles Lakers was to add another physical center to help ease the load off Anthony Davis. And one name that made a ton of sense was Jonas Valanciunas, who spent the last three seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Lakers were known to have had interest in Valanciunas, but the big man decided to sign a three-year, $30 million deal with the Washington Wizards. This would seemingly take Valanciunas off the Lakers’ radar, but perhaps that isn’t quite the case.
In the latest episode of Brian Windhorst and the Hoop Collective, the ESPN insider was not ready to rule out the possibility of Valanciunas ultimately winding up in purple and gold:
“I wouldn’t rule out Jonas Valanciunas eventually ending up on the Lakers this year. That’s all I’m going to say “
As it currently stands, the Lakers have yet been able to add that big man so the franchise still having interest in bringing Valanciunas in does make some sense. He won’t be eligible to be traded until Dec. 15, but once that time comes, the Lakers could see if the Wizards are willing to part with him.
The Lakers have the contracts to make such a deal work with Gabe Vincent or Jarred Vanderbilt making similar money, so attaching a draft pick to either one of them could potentially get a trade done. The question would then be asked whether Valanciunas simply signed with the Wizards because it was the most money he could make.
While his numbers were down a little last season, Valanciunas has proven he can be a very effective player offensively and is a great rebounder. Lightening the load on Davis physically remains a priority for the Lakers and someone like Valanciunas really would be an ideal addition. The Lakers missed out in free agency, but the door might not be closed just yet.
JJ Redick wants Lakers to add a “big, bruising” center
Lakers head coach JJ Redick has been open about his and the franchise’s desires to add another center to the roster. In particular, Redick says the Lakers are hoping to add a ‘big, bruising five man.’
Redick discussed this in a recent radio interview, noting that top teams in the West such as the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves all have a lot of size and the Lakers will need to match that in order to compete.
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