Wizards must ensure they get payoff for paying Jonas Valanciunas

The Wizards have to cash in on one of their biggest assets.

Jan 3, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA;  Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) reacts to a foul called on him during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Jan 3, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) reacts to a foul called on him during the second half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards have been in the headlines since the start of the offseason all the way up to this point of the regular season.

For the most part, the most talk around Washington has been due to the team's inability to stack together wins and their growing chance of earning the top overall draft pick in what could be one of the most pivotal offseasons in Wizards franchise history.

However, another talking point from the offseason was the team's addition of Jonas Valanciunas among many of the other veterans general manager Will Dawkins went out and grabbed in the offseason.

At the time of the signing of Valanciunas, the move made no sense for either sides. With the 32-year-old looking to contend for a championship as his career winds down and the Wizards entering the beginning of a full rebuild, a three-year deal just didn't seem to add up.

However, when it was reported that the deal could be used as a beneficial relationship for both parties where Washington offloaded Valanciunas before this year's deadline to a contender and the Wizards would get assets for the center, it made perfect sense. The big man would cash in on the market and Washington would be in position to add young players or picks to aid their rebuild.

Wizards must move on from Valanciunas before the deadline

And while many teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly inquired about Valanciunas and made their interest clear in the big man, recent reports suggests that the Wizards brass have slowly come around on the idea with keeping the veteran around the young team for the long haul.

Although Valanciunas offers leadership to the young roster, keeping the big man around past the February deadline could be the worst move the Wizards front office could make.

For starters, the team signed the center in the offseaon with the idea of offloading him to a suitor in order to cash in on assets. Essentially, they paid to land a big fish because they felt they could use him as leverage to land a trade package that would make it worth their while.

Not only would holding him until the offseason minimize the type of return they could get, but Valanciunas play on the court could regress which would directly tank what value he does have on the trade market.

Ultimately, in no scenario should the Wizards hold on to Valanciunas and risk blowing the opportunity to get the payoff for the big man that they signed him seeking to get in the first place.

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