The Jonas Valanciunas Thread

[Fairview4Life]

Does Jonas remind anyone else of ... Michael Bradley?

A taller more fluid Bradley with a wider wingspan, better rebounding, much better hands and finishing, sure. JV's also 17lbs heavier and almost 3 years younger than Bradley was when he was drafted.

[Chuck Newhouse]

Does Jonas remind anyone else of ... Michael Bradley?

Bradley was a total mechanical stiff. I don't think the comparison is very valid.

Michael Bradley was a tremendous rebounder who got injured and never really got a chance to show his stuff. His boards per minute #'s were sick. Very under rated I say.

[So Clutch]

Chad Ford's grades are up. Anyone who has insider access want to post his grade for the Raps?

He gave us an incomplete, the coward.

what does that mean...

[ATLTimekeeper]

Honestly, I am not too excited about Jonas. He seems very, very weak physically.

Huge potential, but that's the risk.

I wonder if this selection was influenced by the likelihood of a lockout?
If we assume there will be a shortened season, this is a brilliant pick.

Have to admit, was a lot more juiced about Ed Davis last year than Val (somthin) this year, and he's a higher pick.

Ed Davis was considered very weak physically. Val may get posted early in his career, but his "lack of strength" didn't stop him from being the best rebounder in the Euroleague at 18 years old, and it didn't prevent him from finishing around the net at an incredible percentage. Any time you get a guy that could've gone top 5 at 13 you're going to be excited. Getting a top 3 guy at 5 isn't as exciting.

[HiJiNX]

Okay after watching that game posted above I'll say this...

Positives:
-very quick with the basketball and plays stronger than his frame would suggest on offense
-strong understanding of the game, especially for his age...has great intangibles regarding spacing on both offense and defense...always knows where the ball is and how the play is developing
-he's fast and able to get up and down the floor quickly
-has great hands and finishing ability off the catch...also goes after loose balls
-good defensive rotations, he's always aware of where he should be and rarely gets caught out of position. He also plays defense with his hands up even when his assignment doesn't have the ball, which basically shut down the paint against Russia
-FOCUS! Dude is dialed in for every second of the game. Seems to have a great ability to keep his focus for every play of the game.

Negatives:
-lacks strength
-needs to be more assertive in demanding the ball. In the second half of that game, when he got the ball he was dominant with it, making the right play every time.
-lacks rebounding instincts...he boxes out well but does a lot of ball watching and doesn't fight enough. This is correctible if he has the right coaching and work ethic, but he's not a natural rebounder at all.
-lacks shot blocking instincts...he's going to have foul trouble as a young player...he's not going to be a shot blocker so would probably be better off not jumping to swat everything so as to reduce his foul rate
-lacks offensive moves...he's just quick, which makes him effective at getting his shot off, but in the NBA he'll need more than that.

Overall, the thing I like most about him is he seems to have a presence about him, I can't even really pin it down. But at the same time, unless a magical transformation happens to him he projects to be a really good role player, IMO, and not a star. At 5th pick, I'd like to draft a player that would have more potential impact on at least one end of the floor, but it looks like Val will be a player we won't scream at for screwing up--he'll be competent on both ends of the floor and won't make too many mistakes, but he wont be special in any aspect of offense, defense, or rebounding IMO. Looks like a guy that will be a winner and will have a quite impact on winning with the right teammates around him, definitely an intangible player.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Does Jonas remind anyone else of ... Michael Bradley?

A taller more fluid Bradley with a wider wingspan, better rebounding, much better hands and finishing, sure. JV's also 17lbs heavier and almost 3 years younger than Bradley was when he was drafted.

I think he was just going by haircut and skin colour.

[Fairview4Life]

Does Jonas remind anyone else of ... Michael Bradley?

Bradley was a total mechanical stiff. I don't think the comparison is very valid.

Michael Bradley was a tremendous rebounder who got injured and never really got a chance to show his stuff. His boards per minute #'s were sick. Very under rated I say.

What's nuts is that JV was even better on the glass in Europe at 18 than Bradley in the NCAA at 21 or whatever.

[J-Roc]

raptorsrepublic

Buyout for Valanciunas is $2.5M of which Raps can cover $500k. Source with Raps says there's a "good chance" of him coming over next season.

The way BC talked on the radio this morning, he's not expecting the kid here next year. I don't like the optics of our draft pick not being around.

[roundhead0]

Celtics fan here,this mourning Danny Ainge came on local Radio WEEI and was asked who would be franchise players or just the best players in this draft.He mentioned D williams first but then said your guy with some flattering comparisons.When the link comes up I will post if you want.

Here is the link the Valanciunas stuff is @15:20 it's short
http://audio.weei.com/a/42048250/dany-a ... he-cap.htm

Thanks for the link! Ainge said that of the players who have the chance to be cornerstone players out of this draft, DWilliams has the best chance, followed by Valanciunas who could be a top 10 or top 5 C in this league.

[DG88]

When the Cavs took Tristan at 4 I was surprised. I thought they would have taken Valanciunas who was rated pretty high on DX's draft board. With Valanciunas falling and Knight being there at 5 I was hoping we pick either of those two. We took Valanciunas and I was happy we got a good C prospect in this draft. He needs to add strength and muscle to his frame if he's going to defend big bodies 1 on 1 in the NBA right now that he major weakness.

[theSkinny]

So now I want to get one of these



Best Uni's ever, and since we have two Lithuanian's I feel it is proper.

[BillyGM]

So now I want to get one of these



Best Uni's ever, and since we have two Lithuanian's I feel it is proper.

Maby toronto should change their jersey colours to those Just saying...

[Double Helix]

Was this posted yet?

Rockets Trade Rumors: Houston Really Wanted Jonas Valanciunas

by Rivers McCown • Jun 24, 2011 8:45 AM CDT

The Houston Rockets were rumored to be trying to trade up into the middle of the lottery for most of the draft process, although over the last few days things shifted and they looked to get up even higher. The common denominator for both of those things? It's a man named Jonas Valanciunas. The Raptors' new center was so coveted by Daryl Morey that, according to Clutch of Clutchfans, he was the trade-up target at No. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

http://houston.sbnation.com/houston-roc ... -nba-draft

[Rhettmatic]

raptorsrepublic

Buyout for Valanciunas is $2.5M of which Raps can cover $500k. Source with Raps says there's a "good chance" of him coming over next season.

The way BC talked on the radio this morning, he's not expecting the kid here next year. I don't like the optics of our draft pick not being around.

Why would a fan care about optics?

J-Roc, I'm going to have to ask you to go on the record and let us know whom you would have rather the Raptors drafted at 5.

[Rhettmatic]

Was this posted yet?

Rockets Trade Rumors: Houston Really Wanted Jonas Valanciunas

by Rivers McCown • Jun 24, 2011 8:45 AM CDT

The Houston Rockets were rumored to be trying to trade up into the middle of the lottery for most of the draft process, although over the last few days things shifted and they looked to get up even higher. The common denominator for both of those things? It's a man named Jonas Valanciunas. The Raptors' new center was so coveted by Daryl Morey that, according to Clutch of Clutchfans, he was the trade-up target at No. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

http://houston.sbnation.com/houston-roc ... -nba-draft

So Houston, OKC and San Antonio were all rumoured to be trying to move up to get this kid. I'm not saying it's all that meaningful, but it's certainly good company to be in.

[OvertimeNO]

So Houston, OKC and San Antonio were all rumoured to be trying to move up to get this kid. I'm not saying it's all that meaningful, but it's certainly good company to be in.

Clearly it is meaningful; it means that BC has successfully sold his snake-oil to the entire league! The NBA is doomed.

[OAKLEY_2]

Board Troll Feschuk in "Colangelo gambles..." looks like he is calling out Dagger on this pick.

"As for Valanciunas, whether you like his projections or not — and the number-crunching nerds in the analytics world will have you believe he’s an efficient keeper..."

Got all this 1 through 20 justification already from Dagger in a Knight vs. Val exchange. It reminds of the statement that goes something like: It is sad time when we know the cost of everything but are ignorant to the value. All the measuring down to microns and there is this academically brilliant kid with AI skills and apparently he was not fit for this team? Where's the intuitive reasoning in this equation? The intangibles? You want to change the culture of this team throw the caliper test in the garbage. Learn to perceive winning. Look at the heart a kid has and stop going gaga over 7 footers.

[Volcano]

Was this posted yet?

Rockets Trade Rumors: Houston Really Wanted Jonas Valanciunas

by Rivers McCown • Jun 24, 2011 8:45 AM CDT

The Houston Rockets were rumored to be trying to trade up into the middle of the lottery for most of the draft process, although over the last few days things shifted and they looked to get up even higher. The common denominator for both of those things? It's a man named Jonas Valanciunas. The Raptors' new center was so coveted by Daryl Morey that, according to Clutch of Clutchfans, he was the trade-up target at No. 2, 3, 4, and 5.

http://houston.sbnation.com/houston-roc ... -nba-draft

So Houston, OKC and San Antonio were all rumoured to be trying to move up to get this kid. I'm not saying it's all that meaningful, but it's certainly good company to be in.

So Ainge spoke highly of him..Houston/Spurs/OKC, teams with good reputations, all wanted him. Yet he's not good enough for some fans here due to the reason of Jonas being a white Euro.

[dagger]

raptorsrepublic

Buyout for Valanciunas is $2.5M of which Raps can cover $500k. Source with Raps says there's a "good chance" of him coming over next season.

The way BC talked on the radio this morning, he's not expecting the kid here next year. I don't like the optics of our draft pick not being around.

Around what? The water cooler? Hoopdome? There is no NBA the rest of this year. The owners will decree the lockout on Tuesday. Bet your panties on it, J-Roc.

And the funny thing, Valanciunas will be the only young Raptor we'll see on TV this summer in good competition. We'll also see Calderon and Bargnani in the European championships. But we won't see DeMar or Davis or Johnson or Johnson or Bayless because they will be in some gym somewhere oohing and aahing at each other's dunks. If we're lucky, one of them will pay for a personal trainer of his own funds.

[CTG]

Jonas = Biedrins x Tyson Chandler