Jonas Valanciunas was one of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ big-name free-agent targets this summer. The 6-foot-11 center also turned out to be one of a handful of players the Lakers failed to lure to LA after Valanciunas opted to sign a three-year deal with the Washington Wizards worth $30.3 million.
According to league insider Briand Windhorst of ESPN, however, he believes that the path for Valanciunas eventually ending up with the Lakers remains open.
Los Angeles Lakers News: Jonas Valanciunas to LA?
In a recent episode of his podcast, Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective, the renowned NBA guru hinted at the possibility of the Lakers finding a way to secure the services of the 32-year-old big man.
“I wouldn’t rule out Jonas Valanciunas eventually ending up on the Lakers this year,” Windhorst said (h/t Jason Simpson of Lakers Daily). “That’s all I’m going to say.”
Unfortunately, Windhorst did not explain his cryptic statement as he left a lot to the imagination. Given how Valanciunas just signed a long-term deal with the Wizards, it appears that LA’s only path to acquiring the Lithuanian is via a blockbuster trade later in the season.
At this point, the Lakers have remained patient in terms of pulling the trigger on a blockbuster trade. This could mean that they’re anticipating a major deal that will prompt them to part ways with their most valuable trade assets.
This might not happen in the offseason, but if what Windhorst is saying here is true, then LA could be preparing for a massive coup on Valanciunas right before the February trade deadline.
For More NBA Content:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @HardwoodHeroics. You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at [email protected]. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest NBA news, click here!
