Shams: Kings Trade Jonas Valunciunas to the Nuggets for Dario Saric; *UPDATE* - Trade is Now Official

[tsherkin]

This is why I thought the trade was perhaps not as great as everyone else seemed to think it was.

Yes it is a talent upgrade, but that talent can’t really play many minutes alongside Jokic, you’re probably only getting 16 minutes out of Jonas, and he isn’t going to run the offence in Jokic’s absence, nor is he going to lock it down on the other end.

I thought that skill capital was perhaps better spent on someone who can do those things, or at least contribute for more minutes by being playable alongside Jokic.

I get the thought, though. Their frontcourt is really uninspiring, so having a quality, rotation-level player in there helps a fair bit.

[Wolfgang630]

LMAO. Joker gonna go his entire career and never have a good backup.

[BigGargamel]

This is why I thought the trade was perhaps not as great as everyone else seemed to think it was.

Yes it is a talent upgrade, but that talent can’t really play many minutes alongside Jokic, you’re probably only getting 16 minutes out of Jonas, and he isn’t going to run the offence in Jokic’s absence, nor is he going to lock it down on the other end.

I thought that skill capital was perhaps better spent on someone who can do those things, or at least contribute for more minutes by being playable alongside Jokic.

I get the thought, though. Their frontcourt is really uninspiring, so having a quality, rotation-level player in there helps a fair bit.

Trading perhaps the worst player on an NBA roster for a quality backup one for one with no picks attached. I don't care if JV plays 5 minutes a game. That trade is worth it.

[davidv2001]

That's true but the games are also shorter by 8 minutes and I'd imagine he would start. I also think he'd probably average closer to 15 or 16 on the Nuggets, especially in the playoffs. Jokic hasn't played less than 32-33 minutes in years; but I guess it could be argued that that's partially due to lack of center depth.

I hope he doesn't leave though. I think he was the best of Denver's off-season moves. I'd like to see Jokic make a couple more runs.

I just don't think playing time is a reason. In Denver he will be able to play as much as he played last season, in the same role (he was a backup already) and contend. If he want to go to Europe, OK, his decision, he has his reasons

He's about to join his fourth team in like 13 months. That's gotta be exhausting for even an American player, let alone someone working thousands of miles from home.

It is, but Valanciunas is the one who chased the money from a rebuilding Washington Wizards team. He knew he wasn’t long for that team the day he inked the contract.

If he wants to go back home to play in Europe under another contract that’s fine, but he needs to give back all the remaining guaranteed money in his existing contract.

[BigGargamel]

I just don't think playing time is a reason. In Denver he will be able to play as much as he played last season, in the same role (he was a backup already) and contend. If he want to go to Europe, OK, his decision, he has his reasons

He's about to join his fourth team in like 13 months. That's gotta be exhausting for even an American player, let alone someone working thousands of miles from home.

It is, but Valanciunas is the one who chased the money from a rebuilding Washington Wizards team. He knew he wasn’t long for that team the day he inked the contract.

If he wants to go back home to play in Europe under another contract that’s fine, but he needs to give back all his remaining guaranteed money in his existing contract.

Totally agree. Which is why I hope the trade still goes through. I assume his contract would come off the Nuggets books and allow them to sign someone else? I dunno if that's true or not, but he's either with Denver or they can sign someone else who's still an upgrade over Saric. No real downside.

[Blame Rasho]

My guy decided to leave the league before he backed up Jokic and play in Denver. Damn.

I think he would have been a star if the league showed him more love. Everywhere he went he was used as a garbage man to clean up. Raptors made him bulk up to much to the point he lost all his athleticism from his first two years. He had skill and a soft touch around the rim since day one. Will always be one of my favourite players ever.

Just want to see my brother win a ring. Him and DeMar, finally thought JV had his chance.

In remember that the spurs were really considering trading Tony Parker for a pick to draft him.

I always liked him because he played within his own abilities.

[One Last Shot]

He's about to join his fourth team in like 13 months. That's gotta be exhausting for even an American player, let alone someone working thousands of miles from home.

It is, but Valanciunas is the one who chased the money from a rebuilding Washington Wizards team. He knew he wasn’t long for that team the day he inked the contract.

If he wants to go back home to play in Europe under another contract that’s fine, but he needs to give back all his remaining guaranteed money in his existing contract.

Totally agree. Which is why I hope the trade still goes through. I assume his contract would come off the Nuggets books and allow them to sign someone else? I dunno if that's true or not, but he's either with Denver or they can sign someone else who's still an upgrade over Saric. No real downside.

That's not how it works, it's either Saric won't get traded or Jonas will have to forfeit his guaranteed money if he decided to play back in overseas but the cap hit of his salary will always be there in Nuggets cap space regardless.

[floppymoose]

What do the Kings get out if this? Is Darios contract shorter? Because he is done as an nba player. The first half of his GSW season was the last useful time for him on court. Then he lost a step and it was over.

[Optms]

ROFL there goes one third of “the nuggets are so back” offseason.

Just a small speed bump. They'll sign Chris Boucher and be back on track to sleepwalking to multiple titles.

Dynasty. Boucher the missing piece.

[DaFan334]

Why would Denver be upset? He'd wipe 10M off the books for two seasons.

Losing one of the better backup centers in the league, with few options to bring in another unless they can convince Al Horford to take the money. They also have a team option on JV for next year, so the $10M could come off the books if they don't want him anyway.

I think this all comes down to a couple of questions if JV decides he wants to leave.

Can the Kings or Nuggets kill the trade? I would imagine this would be frowned upon unless agreed to by both parties. I would think if they could get him to be bought out of his contract in full, and eliminate the cap hit, both teams would want to do that and take the cap relief. I doubt the Kings really wanted Dario Saric. I could be wrong, they do do odd things over there sometimes...

The next question would be if he agrees to a full buyout, would it eliminate the cap hit? I'm not positive if that is how that works, as it rarely ever happens. I would imagine either team would only accept a full or near-full buyout. Especially Denver, as I would imagine they would want to use the cap space to go after Al Horford or maybe Mo Wagner or Chris Boucher.

[___Rand___]

My guy decided to leave the league before he backed up Jokic and play in Denver. Damn.

It could also be a leverage play for more guaranteed money from Denver

How's he going to do that? Isnt he under contract

[iggymcfrack]

It definitely matters. Nuggets fall off a cliff every time Joker sits in large part because they don't have a serviceable backup Center. Getting Valanciunas would've been huge for them, as will be losing him if he heads overseas.

Setting this potential issue aside, JV won't solve their problems. Joker is their leading scorer, rebounder and playmaker. And they don't have a second star. They will dive bomb every time he sits regardless, because he's such a high-impact player. Jonas is their so the rebounding doesn't go to hell, and because he can score a bit, but it's only part of the overall picture.

This is why I thought the trade was perhaps not as great as everyone else seemed to think it was.

Yes it is a talent upgrade, but that talent can’t really play many minutes alongside Jokic, you’re probably only getting 16 minutes out of Jonas, and he isn’t going to run the offence in Jokic’s absence, nor is he going to lock it down on the other end.

I thought that skill capital was perhaps better spent on someone who can do those things, or at least contribute for more minutes by being playable alongside Jokic.

After seeing what Houston did in the playoffs last year I kinda wonder if JV and Joker wouldn’t actually be a pretty great on-court pairing against certain matchups. He was second in the entire league in total rebound percentage last season. He and Jokic together would be a nightmare for small teams on the offensive glass.

JV’s not much of a floor spacer, but he passes the ball very well for a big man and I bet he and Joker could run some nifty big/big actions. Plus now the Nuggets have a lot more shooting to surround them with. If I were Adelman I’d be pitching JV on the idea that he and Joker will absolutely be sharing the floor together for significant minutes against several top playoff teams.

[Nuntius]

My team in Europe Panathinaikos needs a solid back up for Lessort who's the starting Center.
He had a surgery in January and maybe he won't be able to be 100% when the season begins.
There's also a possibility that the surgery wasn't successful.
So, we need a solid back up and if things with Lessort don't go as planned maybe Valanciunas can replace him.

If this doesn't happen, they'll probably check if a Vucevic buy out with Chicago is possible.
If not this year, then next season for sure.

Yeah, PAO is aggressively going after NBA bigs this year. Not the biggest names, of course, and definitely those who are more likely to wanna come over but still.

[Kawaii Leonard]

Rescind the trade and go after Al Horford. Better fit anyway and way less diva mentality.

Diva mentality? From my understanding JV was an absolute professional and even a great vet/locker room guy while being on the bench for the Wizards of all teams. All the while he was in trade rumours and on the block until the Kings deal. The Wiz kids often said to the media that they were enjoying their time even while losing most of their games.

[iggymcfrack]

My guy decided to leave the league before he backed up Jokic and play in Denver. Damn.

It could also be a leverage play for more guaranteed money from Denver

How's he going to do that? Isnt he under contract

They could do an extension and give him an extra year to match the 3 year deal he was offered in Europe

[Blame Rasho]

He has made over 145 million dollars in his nba career. It is more than any other basketball player has made in Europe in all likelihood, so if he wants to finish his career over there. Good for him. The competition is lower and he will be a S tier level player esp compared to someone like Walter Tavares.

[Nuntius]

He's not leaving a recent champ. C'mon.

Funny enough Panathinaikos are also recent champs.

Not this year, though

[tsherkin]

JV’s not much of a floor spacer,

His 3 definitely left him the past couple years, but he had a good half-decade where he was a competent 3pt shooter, and he remains pretty good inside the arc out to a pretty fair distance, though, so it could be worse. You do still have to pay any attention to him at all when he's outside of the key.

[___Rand___]

It could also be a leverage play for more guaranteed money from Denver

How's he going to do that? Isnt he under contract

They could do an extension and give him an extra year to match the 3 year deal he was offered in Europe

So he's doing a power play. Good for him. Why would the Greeks let him play them like that though?

[BigGargamel]

It is, but Valanciunas is the one who chased the money from a rebuilding Washington Wizards team. He knew he wasn’t long for that team the day he inked the contract.

If he wants to go back home to play in Europe under another contract that’s fine, but he needs to give back all his remaining guaranteed money in his existing contract.

Totally agree. Which is why I hope the trade still goes through. I assume his contract would come off the Nuggets books and allow them to sign someone else? I dunno if that's true or not, but he's either with Denver or they can sign someone else who's still an upgrade over Saric. No real downside.

That's not how it works, it's either Saric won't get traded or Jonas will have to forfeit his guaranteed money if he decided to play back in overseas but the cap hit of his salary will always be there in Nuggets cap space regardless.

Thanks for clearing that up. I assumed correctly I was too stupid to know what the outcome would be.