{"id":76923,"date":"2024-05-10T16:17:48","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T20:17:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=76923"},"modified":"2024-05-10T16:18:18","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T20:18:18","slug":"new-orleans-pelicans-expected-to-move-on-from-starter-jonas-valanciunas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/05\/10\/new-orleans-pelicans-expected-to-move-on-from-starter-jonas-valanciunas\/","title":{"rendered":"New Orleans Pelicans Expected to Move on From Starter"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a first-round playoff exit, changes appear to be on the horizon for the New Orleans Pelicans. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype<\/a>, expectations are that New Orleans’ starting center, Jonas Valanciunas<\/a>, will move on this summer. Valanciunas is an unrestricted free agent after spending the last three seasons in New Orleans.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a sense Jonas Valanciunas won\u2019t return as a Pelican this offseason in free agency, I\u2019m told. Valanciunas essentially split center minutes with Larry Nance Jr.<\/a> this season and was benched often to close games. When Zion is healthy and playing, Valanciunas occupies the paint and clogs driving lanes for Zion. While he\u2019s still a double-double threat, he\u2019s not an ideal fit for this roster, and his near double-double production will likely be more valued by other teams on the unrestricted free-agent market.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Furthermore, Will Guillory, Pelicans staff writer for The Athletic, echoed Scott’s belief, saying he would “be pretty surprised” if Valanciunas returned.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d be pretty surprised if he was back because of how they were treating his spot in the rotation late in the season. There were a few times when they didn\u2019t play him in the second half and prioritized having space around Zion, and I think they\u2019ll want that in a center of the future next to Zion moving forward.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Last season, Valanciunas started all 82 games for the Pelicans. However, he averaged just 23.5 minutes per game, the lowest full-season mark of his career since the 2017-18 season. In that time, Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while shooting 55.9% from the field and 30.8% from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s a sense Jonas Valanciunas won\u2019t return as a Pelican this offseason in free agency, per @MikeAScotto<\/a><\/p>\n

(Via https:\/\/t.co\/IhoVwuuc2A<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/n8TPm2PUYr<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 10, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n