New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas is about to enter the summer with potential changes. The Lithuanian big man will become an unrestricted free agent after his current two-year, $30 million contract extension, signed in 2021, expires. Rumors swirled last summer that the Pelicans were open to trading his expiring deal to upgrade defensively at the position, but nothing materialized.
BasketNews has already explored how many ex-NBA players compete in the EuroLeague, but now let's shift our focus in the opposite direction. Currently, 38 former EuroLeague players are making their mark in the NBA. Among them, 18 have found a home in Eastern Conference teams, while the Western Conference boasts 20.
Jonas Valanciunas paced Lithuania to their sixth win in seven games in the 2023 World Cup, while racking up another double-double. In the contest against Slovenia, where Lithuania prevailed 100-84, the New Orleans Pelicans big man recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds for a PIR of 29.
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2008-2009: Perlas Vilnius (2nd Lithuanian division) 2009-2010: Perlas Vilnius (Lithuania), joined Rytas Vilnius (Lithuania) in January 2010-2011: Rytas Vilnius (Lithuania) 2011-2012: Rytas Vilnius (Lithuania) 2012-2013: Toronto Raptors (NBA) 2013-2014: Toronto Raptors (NBA) 2014-2015: Toronto Raptors (NBA) 2015-2016: Toronto Raptors (NBA) 2016-2017: Toronto Raptors (NBA) 2017-2018: Toronto Raptors (NBA) 2018-2019: Toronto Raptors (NBA), traded to Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) 2019-2020: Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) 2020-2021: Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) 2021-2022: New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) 2022-2023: New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) 2023-2024: New Orleans Pelicans (NBA)
New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas is about to enter the summer with potential changes. The Lithuanian big man will become an unrestricted free agent after his current two-year, $30 million contract extension, signed in 2021, expires. Rumors swirled last summer that the Pelicans were open to trading his expiring deal to upgrade defensively at the position, but nothing materialized.
BasketNews has already explored how many ex-NBA players compete in the EuroLeague, but now let's shift our focus in the opposite direction. Currently, 38 former EuroLeague players are making their mark in the NBA. Among them, 18 have found a home in Eastern Conference teams, while the Western Conference boasts 20.
Jonas Valanciunas paced Lithuania to their sixth win in seven games in the 2023 World Cup, while racking up another double-double. In the contest against Slovenia, where Lithuania prevailed 100-84, the New Orleans Pelicans big man recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds for a PIR of 29.
A couple of months before the World Cup, FIBA ranked them 15th. Even within their own country, there weren't high expectations until the final rosters were confirmed. In a World Cup where four teams hadn't lost any of their four games, not many thought they would be one of them, especially alongside groups like the USA, Slovenia, and Germany.
BC Wolves, a Lithuanian basketball team established just 14 months ago, has garnered the attention of the New Orleans Pelicans center and Lithuanian national team captain, Jonas Valanciunas. The 11-year NBA veteran has acquired shares in the BC Wolves through the "Basketball Holding Company," thereby becoming one of the club's investors.
New Orleans Pelicans have made their center Jonas Valanciunas available in the trade as they are looking for more mobile and rim-protecting big men, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. This news comes despite Valanciunas expressing his desire to stay with the Pelicans almost a month ago.
New Orleans Pelicans and Lithuania national team center Jonas Valanciunas would like to stay with the Pelicans. In an interview with Kestas Rimkus from 24sek.lt, the 31-year-old talked about his situation in the NBA, a possible return to the EuroLeague, and the upcoming FIBA Basketball World Cup.
14-season NBA veteran and current assistant coach in Miami Heat -- Caron Butler -- recalled his funniest moment in the league on the Thanalysis podcast hosted by Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo. As his most hilarious NBA episode, Butler chose the controversial steal from Toronto Raptors rookie Jonas Valanciunas during a regular-season game in 2013.
Jonas Valanciunas is an 11-year NBA veteran. He's been part of three different teams, he's played 54 games in the playoffs. Now, the Lithuanian center looked at the possibilities of other players from his home country joining him in the league.
New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas will undergo an MRI Sunday morning after leaving the game vs. Los Angeles Lakers with a right knee injury, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Pelicans head coach Willie Green confirmed that Valanciunas will get an MRI.
New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas was called for a flagrant-2 foul and ejected after his elbow caught the head of Washington Wizards big man Taj Gibson with 8:03 left in the second quarter. Valanciunas was in disbelief after the assessment of the episode.
New Orleans Pelicans center Willy Hernangomez praised Jonas Valanciunas and his recent performances following a 126-117 home win Thursday night over the San Antonio Spurs. Valanciunas had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Willy Hernangomez 13 for the Pelicans, who ended a season-worst four-game losing streak.
Every year, the US sports giant ESPN releases its NBA player ranking that lists the Top 100 players in the top basketball league in the world. Composed of over 200 reporters, editors, producers, and analysts, the recipients of the survey are asked to rank players based on their predicted contributions for the upcoming 2022-23 NBA season both quality and quantity-wise.
FIBA EuroBasket returns with full power during September 1–18. The upcoming tournament marks a five-year break since the latest EuroBasket in 2017. Indeed, a long wait for all basketball stars to prove their worth on the continental FIBA court.
The Lithuanian national team can already prepare for the upcoming EuroBasket at full capacity. Saturday photos have been released in which the country's best basketball players Jonas Valanciunas and Domantas Sabonis are already practicing with the national team. Both NBA towers have been unable to practice with the team since the start of camp due to restrictions from the NBA.
Jonas Valanciunas is taking a breath from a demanding NBA season before joining the Lithuanian national team in August and September for FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers and EuroBasket 2022.
Jonas Valanciunas has been in the NBA since 2012. He's been on contending teams, he's been on rebuilding teams. While the average career in the top league is around 5 years, the Lithuanian center has already doubled the number and is not ready to stop.
Lithuanian basketball federation announced a 16-man preliminary roster for EuroBasket 2022. As expected, the two biggest stars of the team, Jonas Valanciunas and Domantas Sabonis, will help their country in the upcoming tournament.
The NBA's play-in trick proves to be a wise move. It creates alternative stories and adds more spice to the already tasteful flavor of the post-season saga. It gives motivation to the franchises who did not find their groove in the first part of the season, showing a reason not to tank and finding ways to keep winning. New Orleans Pelicans are just one of them. Starting 1-12 in the first month, ...
Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 26 points and 15 rebounds as the host New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Phoenix Suns 118-103 (25-22, 24-29, 35-23, 34-29) on Sunday night to even their first-round playoff series 2-2. Game 5 is set for Tuesday in Phoenix. Ingram scored 16 points as the Pelicans outscored the Suns 35-23 in the third quarter. Valanciunas finished with a ...