Pelicans reportedly testing trade market for Jonas Valanciunas
Jonas Valanciunas started 79 games for the Pelicans last season and put up solid numbers in an often chaotic season in New Orleans, averaging 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds a game with an impressive 61 true shooting percentage. He had a quality season.
However, he is not the most mobile of big men. At the end of tight games in the second half of the season, coach Willie Green would turn to Larry Nance Jr. to play the five, just because of his defensive mobility. You can see what Green wants at the five in Nance and the idea of Jaxson Hayes (he is at the end of his rookie deal but does not look near ready to start in the NBA).
Whatever the future looks like for the Pelicans, Valanciunas is likely not at the center of it. Which is why the team is open to trading Valanciunas and his expiring $15.4 million contract, reports Jake Fischer at Yahoo Sports .
... the Pelicans, sources said, have since made Valančiūnas available in search of more mobile, rim-protecting big men. New Orleans made one call, sources said, to Cleveland about obtaining Jarrett Allen.
Valanciunas becomes extension eligible on Oct. 1, but the Pelicans seem to be leaning another direction for the big man they want next to Zion Williamson (who, despite the rumors , very likely will be back in New Orleans to start next season, league sources have told NBC Sports). Green wants to lean into more small-ball style fives (Nance, Hayes, some Zion, etc.).
New Orleans likely gets very little back in a trade of Valanciunas, but for a team already over the cap with three big salaries on the books (Zion, Brandon Ingramd and CJ McCollum all make $33 million or more), a little cost-cutting is not a bad thing. A team looking for a reliable, quality, traditional big (who can knock down the 3, shooting 34% last season) could do a lot worse than Valanciunas. He has value, he's just not the Pelicans guy in the middle for the long term.
