The Los Angeles Lakers just went out and signed their backup center, Kevon Looney, to a one-year $3.9 million minimum contract, reports ESPN's Shams Charania. The Lakers had been in the market for a backup center, and the rumor was that they may have even had interest in the Denver Nuggets' Jonas Valanciunas. But it would appear that chase will be no more, and it probably just put both of Big Val's feet out the door on his way to play in Europe.
That's because on July 8th, the $8 million kicker guarantee on Valanciunas's $10 million contract kicks in, and with the Nuggets, perhaps, perhaps not, looking to shed salary to avoid the second apron penalty threshold, it would be assumed that he'll be cut after the recent addition of Marvin Bagley III. You never know, the Nuggets could wind up keeping Big Val as that deadline approaches in hopes of trading him to someone else.
But they shouldn't. Valanciunas needs to go, especially with Bagley now on board. Big Val proved last season that he wasn't the answer for when Nikola Jokic hit the bench for a breather, and the Nuggets need to move on. Salary dump or not.
The Nuggets need rim protection and defense. Valanciunas was not that
Even if the Nuggets do hold onto Valanciunas, he's probably not going to see the floor, and he'll just be trade bait for someone who may need a backup center as the wear and tear of the season takes its toll. The Nuggets just signed someone in Bagley who has size, quickness, athleticism, and has been improving his defense steadily as his years in the league have grown.
There's no reason for the Nuggets to keep Bagley, the second overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, down on the depth chart when he's the better option. He's a better rim protector, and he can keep up with a four or a five, even out to the perimeter, and on switches, he can defend via quickness better.
Looney's a better defender than Valanciunas, and that's probably one reason the Lakers went with Looney rather than pursuing Valanciunas via a trade. They saved money and still did okay. That's part of the problem for Valanciunas. There are comparably good or better backup centers for a much cheaper price point.
At the end of the day, the Nuggets could let Valanciunas go, and he'll land right on his feet in Europe, and the Nuggets will save money. Win-win. That's what the Nuggets should do.
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