Jonas Valanciunas on the Nuggets, radars of other Western candidates

Washington Wizards big man Jonas Valanciunas continues to be a popular name in the rumor mill as the Feb. 6 trade deadline approaches. Denver The Nuggets are one of several in the Western Conference teams interested in the Lithuanian international, via ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel.

Along with interest in (Toronto Raptors forward Chris) Boucher, Denver is also interested in Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, sources said. Many teams around the league have shown interest in Valanciunas, including the (Golden State) Warriors and (Los Angeles) Lakers,” Siegel said. “Of all the teams, the Lakers have been and continue to be the top destination for the veteran center. The (Los Angeles) Clippers has also been mentioned by multiple scouts as a possibility suitor for Valanciunas in a low position behind Ivica Zubac.

Valanicunas would be a perfect fit for any of those four teams as a backup center. The 32-year-old’s 11.6 points on 56% shooting and 8.1 rebounds per game off the bench for Washington this year show he would be useful for a contending team in need of help at the position.

The The Warriors, however, need Valanciunas the most. While they’re still trying to win another championship as long as 36-year-old Steph Curry is playing at a high level, they’ve gone 20-20 so far. Furthermore, they don’t have a true center in their regular rotation.

“Golden State is certainly the most intriguing team associated with Valanciunas because of their clear need for frontcourt help,” Siegel continued. “This is a major area of ​​focus for the Warriors entering the final weeks before the trade deadline, as Valanciunas is on a long list of potential frontcourt targets that includes Nikola Vucevic, Myles Turner, Olynyk, Boucher, Williams and Collins, sources said. Regardless of which players the Warriors target, Golden State doesn’t have much desire to trade a first-round asset at this point.”

That last sentence may prevent the Warriors, and any other team unwilling to part with valuable draft capital, from landing Valanciunas anytime soon.

The Wizards don’t need to trade Jonas Valanciunas right now

Washington is balancing the value of having successful veterans to mentor their young players with the benefits of trading said veterans for temporary capital. However, Valanchunasov three-year, $30 million the deal lasts until 2027, via Spotrac. Not only does that give the Wizards plenty of time to find a trade partner, but the former New Orleans Pelican’s average annual salary of $10 million is financially manageable.

That’s why Washington will only change it for the right pricevia Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of the Athletics.

“Washington’s front office would like a draft pick (or picks) that would significantly move the team’s rebuild forward — not, say, a late second-round pick,” they reported. “But it will be hard to find a suitor, at least before the usual trade-talk warm-up in the last week or so before the deadline, who would be willing to go much higher.”

However, Wizards can also make an exception depending on the situation.

“If any new contracts in Valanciunas’ deal don’t jeopardize the long-term flexibility of the Wizards’ payroll, then more than one early second-round pick could do the trick,” they continued. “One league source, whose team is not currently involved with the Wizards in discussions about Valanciunas, believes two second-rounders will be the maximum Washington can get for him.”

Regardless, Washington is not desperate right now. While stockpiling valuable picks is good for a rebuild, Valanciunas is also a good player for No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr to learn from. 19-year-old rookie won Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors in December, so the current situation works.