According to ESPN’s NBA expert Brian Windhorst, Jonas Valanciunas “wouldn’t rule out” playing for the Los Angeles Lakers the following season.
In the offseason, Valanciunas agreed to a sign-and-trade agreement with the New Orleans Pelicans that included a three-year, $30.3 million contract with the Washington Wizards.
This offseason, the Lakers expressed interest in signing Valanciunas; but, the big man chose to sign with the Wizards.
This offseason, Los Angeles hasn’t made any deals or free agent signings.
For the Pelicans in 2023–24, Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks while shooting 78.5% from the free-throw line, 30.8% from beyond the arc, and 55.9% from the field. 33 double-doubles were on him.
With the Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, and Pelicans, the 32-year-old Valanciunas has averaged 13.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.4 blocks, and 1.0 blocks throughout his career.
In an interview with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, an NBA reporter, LeBron James discussed the Lakers’ disappointment at not acquiring Valanciunas, Klay Thompson, and DeMar DeRozan.
Thompson has joined the Dallas Mavericks, while DeRozan has signed with the Sacramento Kings.
The Lakers made a strong effort to recruit Thompson, with LeBron actively involved in the process.
“It takes two to tango,” LeBron told ESPN. “I believe our front office and coaching staff did everything they could to pursue the players they wanted, but sometimes things don’t work out. That’s part of the business. I’ve been around long enough to understand that it’s just how it goes sometimes.
“We’re not going to dwell on it or complain. We move forward. Klay is a fantastic player. DeMar is also a great player. Valanciunas was another player we considered, but he ultimately chose Washington. Now, we focus on how we can keep improving.”
The Lakers’ playoff journey ended in disappointment as they were defeated by the Denver Nuggets in five games during the first round of the 2024 playoffs. This defeat echoed their loss to Denver in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, where they were swept in four games.
Following their playoff exit, the Lakers made significant changes to their coaching staff. They dismissed Darvin Ham as head coach and brought in JJ Redick, a former NBA guard who also co-hosted a podcast with LeBron James.
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