One of the main players that the Los Angeles Lakers were connected with all offseason was center Jonas Valančiūnas. He ended up signing with the Washington Wizards, leaving the Lakers to look elsewhere to upgrade the frontcourt depth.
Los Angeles entered the offseason looking to bring in more help at the center position to play alongside star Anthony Davis. However, the team hasn’t added any player to the frontcourt and they are still in search mode.
But it seems that the Lakers may get a second chance at landing Valančiūnas once he becomes eligible to be traded by Washington. According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, there is an expectation that the Wizards will move Valančiūnas before the trade deadline next season.
“And the Wizards wisely scooped him up on a three-year, $30 million contract to open free agency. The expectation is that Washington will begin looking for a deal for Valanciunas in December, when he becomes eligible to be traded. Expect competition, though.”
The Lakers were mentioned as a team that could be interested in landing Valančiūnas if the Wizards do make him available. He could help the team solidify the center spot and push Davis to his natural power forward role.
The New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors were also mentioned as potential teams interested in the center. So, the Lakers could have some competition for the services of Valančiūnas.
“The Knicks, we’ll see how their center spot develops,” one NBA exec told Heavy Sports last month, adding the Lakers as a contender for his services. “The Warriors, if the (Lauri) Markkanen thing does not work out.”
Valančiūnas spent last season with the New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He shot his lowest career percentage from beyond the 3-point line since the 2018-19 season at 30.8 percent.
However, Valančiūnas has been a solid floor-spacer for teams in the past. If he were to be traded to the Lakers, it could help the Los Angeles offense to have someone who is at least somewhat of a threat from deep on the floor with Davis.
The Lakers could see where they are as a team in December when Valančiūnas becomes trade-eligible and the front office can make a decision. Los Angeles could have point guard D’Angelo Russell’s expiring contract to trade which could intrigue the Wizards. There are a lot of moving parts but Los Angeles could end up landing Valančiūnas after all if things turn out well.