Jonas Valanciunas
Dating back to the offseason, it was always considered a bit odd that Jonas Valanciunas signed a three-year deal with the Washington Wizards. However, if the recent rumors are any indication, it's that the Wizards probably signed Valanciunas with the idea of trading him the entire time. The big question for the Wizards heading into the trade deadline is whether moving him now is the move. Because of the contract, the Wizards could theoretically want to pull the trigger on a deal if they wanted.
However, at least for now, considering how strong of a market there is at the moment for centers, I do believe that the Wizards will end up trading him at this year's deadline. Plus, I'm not sure if the Wizards would want to gamble on Valanciunas avoiding an injury or some real regression in his game over the second half of this season. As we inch closer to the deadline, I believe the interest around Valanciunas is only going to grow - and perhaps even more so after a couple of the other bigger name centers fall off the market.
Prediction: Los Angeles Lakers
With how much they have been linked to him over the last few months, I believe it would be a safe prediction to say that the Los Angeles Lakers are going to emerge as a natural landing spot for the veteran center. The Lakers aren't expected to make a big move at this year's trade deadline and if they do end up making a small trade, Valanciunas could be a target that makes a ton of sense for the team. Considering that it may only take two second-round picks to pry Valanciunas away from the Wizards, he could be the most realistic target for Los Angeles heading into the deadline.
And objectively speaking, Valanciunas does fit the profile of a center the Lakers could be in search of heading into the NBA Trade Deadline. The Lakers want a center that could be a spot starter if needed but also one that could make waves off the bench. They also want a big with size and a defensive-minded approach to the game. That's exactly the type of player that Valanciunas is at this point in his career. While making a move for Valanciunas could be considered disappointing from the fan's perspective, there's reason to believe that he could be a great target for the Lakers.