The most questionable move the Los Angeles Lakers made this summer was the decision to follow up their massive Walker Kessler splash by signing Kevon Looney to a one-year deal. This move was incredibly disappointing as with the center position being a major flaw for LA last season.
This offseason offered a chance to address that need. Thankfully for Lakers fans, the perfect center to leapfrog Looney on the depth chart has hit the open market in Jonas Valanciunas.
Wednesday evening, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Denver Nuggets were waiving veteran Valanciunas. He was expected to draw significant interest around the league once he clears waivers.
Although many people online have suggested Valanciunas may look to head overseas after his attempt to join Panathinaikos last summer, if he stays in the NBA, Rob Pelinka needs to sign him. While a player like Looney can provide the Lakers with 20-30 games of steady production, his health is a major question mark.
On the other hand, Valanciunas has been incredibly healthy over the last several years. Val can offer them a consistent frontcourt presence night in and night out.
Jonas Valanciunas solves the problem Kevon Looney can’t for the Lakers
This past season, Valanciunas averaged 8.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in just 13.4 minutes per game. That type of production in such a limited role is impressive for a player who recently turned 34.
Sure, JV isn’t a very good defensive big man and fouls a ton, but that’s not why LA would be signing him. Pelinka brought Kessler in to roam the paint and protect the basket. They now just need someone they can count on to eat up minutes when he’s off the floor and be a paint presence, which is exactly what Valanciunas can offer them.
While he isn’t a great defender, what Valanciunas does exceptionally well is rebound. This past season, JV ranked in the 92nd percentile in defensive rebound percentage and the 82nd percentile in offensive rebounding percentage, according to Cleaning the Glass. Signing Valanciunas would give the Lakers someone who can continue to help them dominate the glass when Kessler subs out.
With Looney only appearing in 21 games last season, having someone like JV, who has been something of an iron man over the last seven seasons of his NBA career, would be massive. Valanciunas appeared in 65 games last season and has played in 70-plus games in five of his last seven seasons.
Another draw of signing JV is that he can provide something neither Kessler nor Looney can: the ability to space the floor and be a threat in the pick-and-pop.
Valanciunas, being a career 34 percent 3-point shooter, isn’t going to have defenses chasing him off the perimeter. However, he’s still a threat from the perimeter that defenses have to respect, and adds a fun layer that the current frontcourt is missing.
Signing Valanciunas would be a great way for Pelinka to reconcile with Lakers fans after the Looney signing and give Kessler the backup center he needs.
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