The Los Angeles Lakers have not made any significant moves to their roster through this offseason. The Lakers front office seems to be retaining and trusting the core they’ve built over the past several seasons. Quite disappointing offseason is leaving fans in shambles as they expect the purple and gold to make beneficial moves. It was widely known throughout the first several weeks into free agency that they tried to acquire some big names.
Players like DeMar DeRozan and Klay Thompson were in the mix with the Lakers but ultimately signed new deals with the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks respectively. Another name in free agency the Lakers tried landing was Jonas Valančiūnas. Valančiūnas signed with the Washington Wizards on a three-year, $30 million deal. However, this big bruising center will likely be available mid-season, and the Lakers are reportedly not done pursuing him.
Lakers to Revisit 2024 Free Agent Target Jonas Valančiūnas
Valančiūnas will be available mid-season. The big-bruising center is not trade-eligible until December 15th. This signifies for the first several weeks into the regular season, the Lakers will be running it back with their current roster. Last year with New Orleans, the big man was available in all 82 games. He averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game. Valančiūnas can be deemed as someone who doesn’t space the floor much, but that says otherwise over the past several seasons. He has emerged as a solid three-point shooter for a big man. Across the four prior seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Pelicans, from 2020-23, he connected on 34.6 percent of his 1.5 triple tries a night.
According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the front office will likely go after Valančiūnas when he is eligible to be traded come mid-December.
“There was some interest, obviously,” Buha said. “He was on LeBron’s list, so I think the Lakers will probably revisit that. But I don’t think there’s as much interest as a guy like a Wendell Carter or some of these other guys that have popped up. So, I view it more as more of a mid-to-low tier trade target for them.”
Jovan Buha says Lakers will go after Jonas Valanciunas again https://t.co/waxYzvxcVe pic.twitter.com/lfeAC6reu7
— LeBron Wire (@LeBron_Wire) September 2, 2024
Valančiūnas Fits JJ Redick’s ‘Bruising’ Center Role
After getting acquired as head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers early in the offseason, Redick has been asked in regards to it’s current roster and any changes he might insist on. In July, Redick was upfront about his wish to have a bruising big man to help Anthony Davis counter the big men of the Western Conference.
In an interview on Sirius XM NBA Radio, Redick explains this desire for a big bruising center.
“You certainly have to look at what I think is actually a very good roster, a very balanced roster. We tried, but we’d love to, at some point, get another five man, a big bruising five man. You look at the Western Conference right now, whether it’s Denver, Minnesota, OKC with what they added, certainly Memphis, they’re going to be back in the hunt, they added Zach Edey, certain matchups in the playoffs, you’re going to need a lot of size.”
JJ Redick says the Lakers want to add a ‘big, bruising’ center to roster https://t.co/aSl9w63qBy
— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) July 15, 2024
The Last Word
Whether the Lakers need Valančiūnas is a question to be asked. We are to see how Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes will perform this upcoming season. Those two could have breakout years that ultimately halt the acquisition of another big man. There’s no doubt that Valančiūnas is an excellent rebounder, a great interior scorer, and a physically imposing player. He would add great depth to the Lakers’ center unit. Anthony Davis has previously talked about his desire to play the power forward position.
Lakers faithful have been wanting that frontcourt dynamic with Davis at the four spot. This dynamic worked in the 2020 Championship run they had. Would that frontcourt combination of Davis and Valančiūnas be unstoppable? Are they to keep Davis at center and be more trusting in Wood and Hayes? We are to see moving throughout the regular season and come mid-December as well as the February trade deadline if they are to go after Valančiūnas.
