The Kings are acquiring center Jonas Valanciunas in a trade with the Wizards, reports NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link). According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), Sacramento is sending newly acquired wing Sidy Cissoko and a pair of second-round picks to Washington in the deal.
According to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link), Sacramento will use its $12.8MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception to absorb Valanciunas’ $9.9MM salary. He reports that the picks being moved are the Kings’ own in 2029 and a Denver selection in 2028 that’s top-33 protected. That pick was acquired in the De’Aaron Fox deal earlier this week.
The trade with Washington leaves the Kings about $2.5MM below the tax line, states cap analyst Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link), who notes that the team had some flexibility after unloading Fox’s and Kevin Huerter‘s salaries.
Valanciunas, a 32-year-old center, will provide veteran frontcourt depth for Sacramento. He appeared in 49 games during his lone season in Washington, averaging 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per night while shooting 54.7% from the field. Valanciunas will join Domantas Sabonis, his longtime teammate on the Lithuanian national team, notes Marc Stein (Twitter link).
The Nuggets were also hoping to land Valanciunas, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), as were the Suns as they try to find a taker for Jusuf Nurkic.
The second-round picks heading to the Wizards bring their total to 19 over the next seven drafts, according to Gozlan (Twitter link). Cissoko is making just $1.89MM, so this deal helps them offset the extra salary they took on earlier today by agreeing to trade for Khris Middleton. Gozlan states that Washington will create a $9.9MM trade exception and is now $11.8MM below the tax line.
This is the second trade of the week for Cissoko, a 20-year-old small forward, who went from San Antonio to Sacramento in the Fox deal. He has seen minimal playing time at the NBA level since being selected with the 44th pick in the 2023 draft. Cissoko appeared in 17 games for the Spurs this season, averaging 1.3 PPG in 3.2 minutes per night.
Wizards get off his remaining $20.3M the next two years and add two 2nd’s, not a bad deal for a team that will take at least 3-4 years rebuilding.
Brogdan or Holmes might be next?
Vals last year was non guaranteed
Even better for Sacramento.
I think even next season may only be a partial
Holmes proved this last stretch of the season he can still contribute. A contender might pick him as a backup center.
Trade him to the Spurs to team back up with Fox lolols….
Going back over the tax huh, Im assuming they are using their MLE money here to fit in the extra salary
* Still under tax narrowly, didn’t realize how much salary the Fox trade lobbed off
Indeed.
Sacramento uses part of the Fox Trade Exception
Washington creates a new 10 million trade exception on top of the 2nd round picks.
Great deal for Washington.
For Sacramento, not sure where they are heading without Fox…
Baffling.
Why spend this amount of money on a back-up C that can’t protect the rim given how terrible their perimeter defense will be with Lavine, Monk, DeRozan, and Murray?!?
They still had the full MLE left
Odd looking team. Lots of offensive talent, though. If Christie was looking for team that would allow him to demonstrate his coaching skill, then he should be happy.
That’s it….lakers couldn’t make that happen? I mean Hayes will do well against Jokic, Sengun/Adams, Rudy/Naz, Jackson Jr/Edey.
Richards and plumblee will destroy Hayes. I’m saying lakers need a big and clearly this one was available and not expensive.
The Lakers couldn’t add Valanciunas for free.
The Kings could.
The Fakers magically got Luka for pennies on the dollar. They don’t need and other gifts!
I love how AD is Pennies. What you don’t understand is that the value of the dollar has shifted in the nba. No one can comprehend it, but in a twisted and insane way the lakers did the mavs a favor. They were being forced to pay a guy $70 mill per and they absolutely were not going to do that. Could not do that.
How Much is too much for these guys? We just found out.
Lakers only have one 2nd round pick that they can trade.
They still have the 31 1st
it would have cost the Lakers more since they are over the luxury tax. They couldnt send out only a minimum salary which is why Washington did this deal. They got 2 2nd round picks and basically got off the contract completely. With Lakers the Wiz would have to take back approx $10m in salary and Lakers dont have anyone in that range that is expiring so it would have to be multiple years of that contract. Wiz would probably ask for Lakers 1st if they were taking back just as much salary as sending out for a player they dont want.
They needed to do something like this to make the money work with the Middleton deal.
Gabe matches money
Nobody wants Gabe. He’s owed that same 11 mill next year too
One less front court option for the Lakers. At this point, they may have to bring Kwame or Kareem back.
Thompson from the Cavs, who could duck below luxury tax that way…
how would Cavs duck below the tax trading with Lakers? Lakers would have to match salary
Not on minimum salary players. All teams have min exceptions that allow you to just take in a guy on a vet min.
Lakers gonna get Kessler then?
Not with only 1 1st round pick.
Jazz ain’t gonna do the lakers any favors now.
At this point, the warriors are just allergic to size, and it’s what has held them back the last 3 seasons. Very frustrating as a fan to watch a rookie with no front court game and aging Draymond and Looney “play” the 5
I, too, wish the Warriors had more size. But Valunciunas isn’t the answer.
I like a lot of Posts early work and he is a real like 7’1 you see him do some good stuff, but he’s still fouling a crazy lot and a big work in progress on defense. I am curios to see how he looks with Dray running his controller and keeping him out of some bad situations.
If he gets reps he could be the type of player they really want next year sometime maybe.
I would trade Wiggins or Draymond for Sabonis so fast
Kings have plenty of talent but not much cohesion.
Carter Ellis Monk LaVine DeRozan Murray Sabonis Valaucanes
How I envision it, Sabonis now plays as more of a point centre and they look to go through him to get easy looks at the rim and make the right plays hitting guys on the perimeter. Ofcourse you’ll have LaVine, Monk, DeRozan ball handling moments but honestly I’d look to move off DeRozan which gives them one less ball dominant guy and look to add another 3 and D forward.
DeRozan for John Collins would be great. Murray slide back to the 3. Collins can space the floor aswell as finish really well at the rim. Maybe they need a third team to make that work tho?
Jerami Grant would also be another really good target. Offers a lot more defensively but again 3 and D forward. Probably an easier deal to make as Portland May value DeRozans experience in helping their young team.
Literally the only problem is Derozan and his lack of shooting and defense. Otherwise the roster is pretty well constructed.
“Derozan and his lack of shooting” lmao
Andrew Wiggins for Sabonis might work too…
Great move for Sacramento, they desperately needed a backup C
Valančiūnas is washed, great move by the Wizards, again, another questionable move by the Kings.
20.1 minutes this season, averaged 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Once again you brighten the day lol …….,
@ KnickerbockerAl
Brightest poster in Hoopsrumors
I like the pieces Washington is accumulating
I’m extremely co fused on what Sacramento is doing here…are they going to move Sabonis too? That would make more sense, but I question if they could get legit value for him…could they be trying to put together something to make some other move? I don’t get this
Valanciunas is the back up. I question this move as well but where JV slots in isn’t the confusing part. The complete lack of defense from most of the rotation is an issue though.
The main confusing part was the roster in general, and the versatility they had taking a massive hit, then bringing in a big with some similarities to your star big…Valanciunas is just a weird person for them to trade for
Wiz fan here I’m not sure the motivation of moving Jo Val. He was a steady hand and could’ve gotten more if patient. He’s a walking double double and on a good deal. How many seconds does a ranking franchise need?
“The 2011 first-round pick has played a career-low 20.1 minutes this season, but he’s still averaged 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game on an eight-win Wizards team.“
Excellent move by Kings. After losing Fox. They are really building up the team. Didn’t think they had it in them. Impressive.
Lakers should of gotten him. You pick up Val and Sims and your center issue is done. Sims imo can still get better. He needs a different situation. At worst a solid backup big. He and Val could of made a good combo.