The New Orleans Pelicans stood pat this summer and doubled down on the status quo at the NBA Trade Deadline. All the smoke and mirrors around Naji Marshall and Jonas Valanciunas being expiring contracts on the move were misguided. Executive Vice President David Griffin did not build out this roster to wash the progress away as soon as the locker room was fully healthy. The franchise was never going to acquire a piece that could fill what Valanciunas does for this team.
The newly recertified as playoff-approved Valanciunas and the Pelicans have a guidepost for future contract negotiations. The Toronto Raptors and Kelly Olynyk have come to terms on a two-year, $26.25 million contract extension. Olynyk is a year older but a bit more of a mobile perimeter threat than Valanciunas, who is far more dominant in rebounding and patrolling the paint.
Valanciunas has never been one to press the issue in free agency. The 31-year-old has preferred the security of having a multi-year deal in place and getting to have a big say in locker room chemistry. The Lithuanian loves New Orleans by all accounts, and it’s easy to see why both sides would be agreeable to a new deal. Willie Green explained why after the last practice before the Pelicans flew out to Toronto:
“(Valanciunas) has been fantastic,” Green boasted. “Everything that we are asking him to do, to try and have more spacing, sacrificing because Zion (Williamson) is coming down the lane, and he’s still making himself available offensively. Defensively he’s sound. And it’s because of our communication. He and I, the rest of the coaches, his teammates. We’re constantly talking about game-to-game and what’s the plan. JV has been great this season.”
A three-year deal with the third season partially guaranteed for around Olynyk’s $26-28 million would be a team-friendly value. The contract would be moveable in a trade if needed, but also Jonas Valanciunas would feel like a part of the future even if the Pelicans bring in a younger prospect to play big minutes as the team’s nominal center.
Unlike the Kira Lewis Jr. transaction, finances would not be the first and final straw to consider in that Valanciunas scenario.
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