Jonas Valanciunas, Washington Wizards
Before Jimmy Butler completely began to steal the NBA Trade Deadline headlines, it was the big men who were considered one of the premier deadline market drivers. Even though the talking points have shifted in recent weeks, I still believe that there will be plenty of teams in the market for some depth in the frontcourt. Assuming that will continue to be the case, there's reason to believe that Jonas Valanciunas will continue to be one of the most sought-after players ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline.
At 32 years old, still with a few quality still years left in his career, Valanciunas is averaging 12 points and eight rebounds on 55 percent shooting from the field. He's been excellent this season for the Washington Wizards and has been doing most of his damage this year while coming off the bench. Any team that is looking for frontcourt depth should be looking in the direction of Valanciunas. He's a player that has proven he can play whatever role is needed, and at a high level too.
What teams could realistically be interested in Jonas Valanciunas: There should be a flurry of contending teams interested in the possibility of acquiring Valanciunas ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. Even though it does appear as if the smoke around his name has lessened over the last few weeks, I'd imagine he's still going to be a name to keep an eye on over the next few weeks. Ultimately, it would be quite surprising if there wasn't a healthy market for Valanciunas in the days leading up to the deadline.
I still firmly believe that the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and even New York Knicks (depending on what happens with Mitchell Robinson) are teams to keep a close eye on. I'm sure many of the teams interested in Valanciunas are likely going to explore other (bigger) offers before they circle back to the Wizards big man. Especially considering that the asking price isn't likely to be high, Valanciunas is the type of deadline target that won't probably be moved until the day of.