Toronto Raptors Rumors: Is Trading Jonas Valančiūnas an Option?
The Toronto Raptors will have to make some tough decisions this offseason. They failed to win a single game in the series against the Cleveland Cavaliers and now is the perfect time to decide if they want to keep the team together.
Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka are going to test the open market this summer, and key role players P.J. Tucker and Patrick Patterson are free agents as well. Of course, the Raptors can always pursue them, but do they really want to do that?
ESPN's Zach Lowe has pointed out that they probably won't bring the same group back because it will put them way over the luxury tax threshold. "Doing so would vault them at least $30 million over the luxury tax, for a total bill of something like $250 million. You don't pay that for a noncontender," Lowe said in his report.
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Well, the Raptors can move DeMarre Carroll and/or Cory Joseph to free up some cap space if they keep Lowry and Ibaka, but Lowe believes they may even put Jonas Valančiūnas on the trading block.
"Trading Jonas Valanciunas loomed as the alternate cost-cutting measure, but no one needs a center. The most likely Valanciunas deals would return someone else's unwanted big fella," Lowe stated.
Valančiūnas is a very efficient player. Even though he plays less than 30 minutes a game, the Lithuanian center is averaging a near double-double in points and rebounds. He's also a solid shot blocker.
So, if he's this good, how come he's not playing heavy minutes for the Raptors? How come he's expendable? Well, it so happens that Valančiūnas offers very little in a small ball lineup. As teams continue to shift toward an up-tempo style of play, archetypal centers like Valančiūnas are no longer that important. He just happens to be a "dinosaur" in today's game.
The Raptors will have to make some major changes this offseason and trading Valančiūnas is an option.
