The Washington Wizards are adding a veteran big man as free agency opens, reportedly agreeing to a three-year, $30 million deal with center Jonas Valanciunas.
The No. 5 overall pick in 2011, Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in playing all 82 games with New Orleans, shooting 56 percent from the field and 31 percent from beyond the arc. Last year was the first time since 2019 he failed to average double-digit rebounds, but he was still regarded as the best rebounding big man in the free agent class.
The 7-foot, 270-pound 32-year-old has averaged 13.4 points and 9.5 rebounds over his NBA career, and now will fill the needs for a true center on a Wizards team that drafted Alex Sarr but has just three returning players over 6-foot-10.
They did lock up one of those in the days before free agency opened, though, as Shams Charania reported over the weekend that Richaun Holmes, acquired from Dallas last season in the Daniel Gafford deal, declined his $12.8 million player option and will sign a new two-year, $25.9 million deal, with only $250K out of $13.3M guaranteed for 2025-26.