If any incoming contract in a Valanciunas’ deal would not impair the Wizards’ long-term payroll flexibility, then more than one early second-round pick might do the trick. One league source, whose team is not currently involved with the Wizards in discussions about Valanciunas, believes that two second-rounders will wind up being the maximum Washington can get for him.
Source: New York Times
Source: New York Times
More on this storyline
Valanciunas knows trade rumors will swirl over the next several weeks. How will he deal with that? “Shut my phone off,” he joked, before he got serious. “Talk with my people, not outside people. People I know. To be honest, it’s a part of the deal. You see what’s out there. You expect everything and you just do your job. That doesn’t change. Whatever happens, it will happen. “I just come in every day, work. Every game, I play 100 percent. That’s all I can do. That’s all I do. It’s above me. I have no control in that.” -via New York Times / January 14, 2025
League sources told The Athletic the Wizards will consider dealing the 32-year-old center before the trade deadline if the right deal comes along. But finding a trade that serves the team’s long-term goals will be challenging. -via New York Times / January 14, 2025
Donatas Urbonas: Jonas Valanciunas on being on track for the worst team record of his NBA career with the Wizards: “It’s very hard to lose. It hurts a lot. You want to avoid it feeling like nothing, no pain. You don’t want losing to turn into a habit. I don’t want that. I want it to hurt. For it to be a motivation. It’s a tough season. Very tough.” -via x.com / January 11, 2025