Jonas Valanciunas, Washington Wizards
At one point this season, Jonas Valanciunas was considered one of the primary names trending on the NBA Trade Deadline market. However, in the past couple of months, the whispers surrounding Valanciunas' name have certainly quieted down. I'm sure there's a certain level of interest in the veteran big man, the rumor mill simply hasn't been churning as it was early on during the season. But 'that's why I believe the addition of Valanciunas could be a huge move for a team heading into the push toward the playoffs.
During his time with the Washington Wizards so far this season, Valanciunas has averaged 12 points and eight rebounds on 56 percent shooting from the field. He's also shown the ability to be an effective starter or bench player throughout his career, including this season with the Wizards. Any team looking for depth in the frontcourt, and for something more than just a rental for the remainder of this season, Valanciunas could be the ideal target. Considering his market has been pretty market of late, he might be able to be had for a bargain too.
Why Jonas Valanciunas could be a trade deadline game changer: Even though we're not necessarily in a big man-friendly era in the NBA, there's still value for a defensive-minded big like Valanciunas. The center position may not be as valued as it was 20-30 years ago but it does seem like the need for a defensive anchor in the middle is as important as its been in a really long time. The big question many teams must ask themselves is whether Valanciunas can be that player for them.
Despite that hesitance, there should be a strong market for Valanciunas on paper. Playoff hopefuls like the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks should be interested in Valanciunas. At this point, with everything that has been reported over the last couple of months, it's pretty clear that the plan is for the Wizards to trade Valanciunas. Considering they're likely going to strongly pivot into their rebuild heading into the offseason, it would be somewhat shocking if they didn't move off some of their veterans - with Valanciunas likely being one of them.