Jonas Valanciunas agrees to a 2-year, $30.1 million extension with the New Orleans Pelicans; Is it a good deal for the franchise?
The New Orleans Pelicans went out this offseason and turned some heads with a number of intriguing moves. One of the most notable transactions was a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies that would end up sending Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe and two draft selections for Jonas Valanciunas and picks. At the time, it was a bit of a head-scratcher. The Pelicans had basically acquired Valanciunas while unloading the contracts of Bledsoe and Adams and moving down from the 10th selection to the 17th in the 2021 NBA Draft. But it was an intriguing move as well based off of the fact that Valanciunas has become one of the more underrated big men in the NBA recently.
Today it was announced that the Pelicans are doubling down on their newly acquired center. New Orleans went on to reward Valanciunas with a two-year, $30.1 million extension as reported by ESPN's Andrew Lopez.
New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas has agreed on a two-year extension worth $30.1 million, his agents Aaron Mintz, Mitch Nathan and Drew Morrison of @CAA_Basketball tell ESPN.
Valanciunas is now committed to the Pelicans for $44.1M over the next three seasons.
The deal will keep Valanciunas locked up with the Pelicans for a total of $44.1 million over the next three seasons. It's a notable move, as it keeps a valuable asset on this roster for the foreseeable future. As hinted before, Valanciunas has become one of the more "underappreciated" bigs in the entire NBA. He's been magnificent for the Memphis Grizzlies recently and went on to average 17.1 points and 12.5 rebounds for the organization last year.
Is extending Valanciunas a good move for the New Orleans Pelicans?
After the Pelicans surrounded superstar Zion Williamson with a tough rebounding presence like Steven Adams, it seems as if New Orleans is trying to add another element to their frontcourt. We all know what Zion can do when he's on the floor, especially when it comes to his ability around the basket. The question looming over this organization recently has been their ability to stretch the floor and become a better shooting team. While Valanciunas is known for his ability in the paint, he's also developed into a respectable threat from the outside. With the Grizzlies last year, Jonas went on to shoot 36.8% from downtown. It's not a specialty of his game, but Valanciunas now gives the Pelicans a little more of an offensive threat on the floor compared to the likes of Steven Adams.
The Pelicans have made a concerted effort to improve the offensive firepower on this team. They went on to select sharpshooting wing Trey Murphy III with the 17th overall selection in this years draft, who has thrived throughout the entire offseason and looks to be a potential immediate contributor for the team. Don't forget Brandon Ingram as well, who should be carrying the load offensively for the Pelicans until Zion Williamson returns from his injury. For a front office who is trying to quickly put together the right pieces to move the Pelicans in the right direction, it looks as if the acquisition of Jonas Valanciunas could be a strategic move to improve the balance of this roster.