Wizards' Jonas Valanciunas: Bound for D.C. on three-year pact
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Valanciunas agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract with the Wizards on Sunday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Valanciunas played at least 74 regular-season games in each of his three seasons with the Pelicans, but his role declined in 2023-24 while New Orleans enjoyed better health from frontcourt mate Zion Williamson. Though he appeared in all 82 games, Valanciunas' averages of 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game all represented notable downturns from the season before. The 32-year-old should have a chance to bounce back as a veteran presence for the Wizards, who just selected Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick in this year's draft.
Pelicans' Jonas Valanciunas: Strong effort in loss
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Valanciunas supplied 19 points (6-15 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 7-8 FT), 13 rebounds, one assist and one steal across 26 minutes during Monday's 97-89 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 4 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Valanciunas finished second on his team in scoring and put together a valiant effort on the glass, marking his second double-double of the first round. However, his production wasn't enough to avoid a series sweep as the Thunder were simply too much to handle without the help of Zion Williamson (hamstring).
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Pelicans' Jonas Valanciunas: Productive in Game 2 defeat
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Valanciunas closed Wednesday's 124-92 loss to the Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference first round with 19 points (8-14 FG, 3-3 FT), seven rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes.
Valanciunas has been doing everything he can to slow Chet Holmgren down, and while that has proven to be a daunting task for the veteran, he's finding a rhythm on the offensive end of the court. Valanciunas has now scored at least 13 points in each of his last three postseason appearances, and he should continue to experience an uptick in his usage rate since Zion Williamson (hamstring) will still be sidelined for Game 3 on Saturday.
Pelicans' Jonas Valanciunas: Pulls down 20 boards in loss Sunday
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Valanciunas registered 13 points (5-9 FG, 3-4 FT), 20 rebounds, two assists and one steal across 29 minutes during Sunday's 94-92 loss to the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
Valanciunas was heavily criticized for his play during the loss to the Lakers in the first round of the Play-In Tournament, but he's responded extremely well with back-to-back double-doubles against the Kings and Thunder. The veteran big man feasted on the glass against Chet Holmgren and used his physicality to dominate. Expect him to play a prominent role in the paint in Game 2 on Wednesday, especially with Zion Williamson (hamstring) still sidelined.
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Pelicans' Jonas Valanciunas: Delivers double-double
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Valanciunas ended Friday's 105-98 Play-In Game win over the Kings with 19 points (8-16 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 12 rebounds, three assists and two blocks over 27 minutes.
Valanciunas was a non-factor in the loss against the Lakers during the first round of the Play-In Tournament. However, he stepped up in a big way Friday to help New Orleans avoid elimination and posted his second double-double since the beginning of April. With Zion Williamson (hamstring) sidelined, the Pelicans will likely need more consistent production from Valanciunas in the paint.
Pelicans' Jonas Valanciunas: Records 33rd double-double
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Valanciunas finished Thursday's 135-123 victory over Sacramento with 13 points (5-8 FG, 3-5 FT), 10 rebounds, three assists and one steal across 33 minutes.
Although Valanciunas' totals have taken a bit of a tumble this season, the 31-year-old has served the Pelicans well in the interior. Assuming he plays the final two games, the veteran will have logged a perfect attendance record for the 2023-24 season. Thursday's game marked his 80th start in 80 games. He's averaging 12.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 23.8 minutes per game this year.
Pelicans' Jonas Valanciunas: Impressive outing vs. Wembanyama
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Valanciunas closed Friday's 111-109 loss to the Spurs with 26 points (10-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 6-6 FT), seven rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 28 minutes.
Valanciunas had the daunting task of dealing with Victor Wembanyama on both ends of the court. Even though the French rookie finished just one assist shy of a triple-double, Valanciunas held his own, posting his best scoring mark since Dec. 15, when he recorded a season-high 29 points in a win over the Hornets. Valanciunas should continue to see an uptick in touches if Brandon Ingram (knee) and Zion Williamson (finger) remain out to face the Suns on Sunday.
