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Tag Archive - Jonas Valanciunas

So You’re Telling Me There’s A Chance

December 3, 2011 in by with 1 Comment

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCFB2akLh4s w=640 h=360]

Didn’t expect to see this today:

The Toronto Raptors drafted Jonas Valanciunas with the No. 5 pick in the 2011 NBA draft knowing it would be at least a year before he came to the NBA.

But a source close to the team told ESPN.com on Saturday that there’s a small chance they might be able to get him this season.

The source said that the team reached out to Valanciunas’ agent over the weekend to gauge the center’s interest in joining the Raptors in 2011-12. If Valanciunas has interest, the Toronto would have to work out a buyout with his team in Lithuania, Lietuvos Rytas.

Via Valanciunas To Play In The NBA This Season?, 12/3/11

I can feel it, Toronto fans are getting excited. Barring a big name frontcourt addition, they’ve been resigned to the fact that this year’s version of the team would likely look very similar to the one that finished 22-60 last year. While there are plenty of holes to fill on this roster, this is likely the way to go — let Dwane Casey try to establish a new identity, but don’t sacrifice cap flexibility and don’t grab players who aren’t going to be productive a few years from now. Let the young players develop, emphasize defense, and lose, lose, lose on your way to drafting someone like Harrison Barnes. Picking Valanciunas was absolutely the right call if the Raptors thought he was the best player available, but in making the pick they knew that they’d be asking their fans to sit through another down year without even a new young player to latch onto. Now? According to Chad Ford’s report, maybe they won’t have to wait for their rookie. Hooray!

Just a couple of things to keep in mind here: first, as Ford mentions, as of draft time Valanciunas told teams and reporters that he wasn’t ready for the NBA yet. He’s still a skinny 19-year-old. He plays with fire and has enough NBA skills that he should be able to crack the rotation right away, but it will not be the least bit surprising when he’s bullied by bigger players. This will be true if he comes over in 2012-2013 as expected, doubly true if sooner. You’ll need to be patient with him. Second, even if he does want to come to Toronto immediately, I’m not sure why Lietuvos Rytas would let go of him. Ford mentions that they failed to qualify for the Euroleague and they need money, but NBA teams were prohibited from paying international teams more than $500,000 in a buyout under the old CBA. It’s possible this rule has been changed and we haven’t heard about it yet, but if it’s the same as the old system then any additional money would have to come out of Jonas’s pocket. Is the team so cash-strapped that $500,000 this year and no more Valanciunas is better than keeping him for the rest of the reason and getting $500,000 next year? I have my doubts, and that’s likely why it’s just a “small chance.” Still, it’s a chance. A chance the Raptors’ season will be a bit more interesting. With rebuilding teams, interesting is all you can ask for.

Jonas Valanciunas: Patience And Hope

September 17, 2011 in by with 3 Comments

Photo by deep_shot on Flickr

 

Valanciunas might have the most upside of any draft pick in this year’s class. Who doesn’t need a scoring machine who can rebound, run and defend? He’s also a high-motor player.

Put it this way: If he was coming out of college after a year at UNC, he’d have gone No. 1 overall.

Via High Hopes for Knight, Valanciunas, 9/8/11

I was conflicted when I read that David Thorpe piece. On the one hand, I’m pumped to see Jonas Valanciunas here in Toronto. I’ve jumped off my couch a few times watching live streams, seeing him finish alley-oops and get weakside blocks. Right now, he’s a solid help defender and rebounder with a nice shooting touch. I’m a fan of his game and a huge fan of the energy he brings, so much so that I’ve felt a bit Lithuanian during this tournament. If a basketball mind like Thorpe’s thinks he can develop into a number one option who can draw double teams, I should be dancing. But, um, the most upside? No. 1 overall? Whoa.

“I don’t think I’m ready for the NBA yet,” [Valanciunas] said. “I still have one more year here and I’m going to do a lot of physical work, getting my body stronger. Then we’ll see.”

Via Valanciunas living up to all the hype, 9/12/11

I just watched Lithuania and Serbia play a EuroBasket consolation game. In the game, particularly In the first half, Kosta Koufos pushed Valanciunas around like the skinny 19-year-old he is. This should be a reminder that, even if we rightfully get excited seeing him hold his own against Spain’s ridiculous frontcourt, he’s a work in progress. Yes, he dominated Serbia like he did the entire U-19 tournament, but in Zach Harper’s words, the Serbs “didn’t defend anybody at the basket and he could just stand there and catch it.”

We knew going into the draft that Valanciunas needed to get much stronger and improve his post game. He’s had an impressive summer, but these things are still true. I believe he’ll develop into a more-than-solid starting center and, seeing Thorpe’s comments above and here, I’m inclined to believe he has All-Star potential. I’d be shocked if he won Rookie of the Year in 2012-2013, though — it’ll take a year or two to adjust to playing in the paint for 82 games at the highest level. Patience and hope, Raptors fans. Extra emphasis on “patience.”