Jonas Valanciunas Summer Discussion Thread (Olympics!)

PapeSowish · Post #1461 » by **PapeSowish** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 7:15 pm

Do they expect to have Jasaitis back with the team if Lithuania qualifies for the Olympics?

JV4MVP · Post #1462 » by **JV4MVP** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 7:19 pm

Maybe cut Delininkaitis for a C/PF as well. Javtokas is always hurt and Jonas is too young to be the main C. Then again our PG depth is mediocre as well. I like Jasaitis even though his gf is a skank.

Petravicius is also injured right?

mcray · Post #1463 » by **mcray** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 7:21 pm

PapeSowish wrote:Do they expect to have Jasaitis back with the team if Lithuania qualifies for the Olympics?

If he recovers.

KarolisJ · Post #1464 » by **KarolisJ** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 8:30 pm

Even if they make some changes, they will probably change Dulkys and Delininkaitis for Jasaitis and Seibutis. We need a big guy, but Motiejunas is not playing this summer, Lavrinovic wasnt even invited to the camp, Petravicius is not playing basketball atm and his career probably ended.. Kavaliauskas is just not good enough

Songaila might play as a C because he did pretty well yesterday and coach said some good words about Songaila after the game.

nahom1319 · Post #1465 » by **nahom1319** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 8:45 pm

BalticGiants wrote:Sorry NBA fans, summer league is complete crap compared to this experience Jonas is getting. Most of Raptors would shake their legs playing in such games. That's a huge mental experience and JV will be different player and different man after this (hopefully Olympics as well). There was so much of pressure. It was the biggest stage he ever played, even Eurobasket was different.

In SL you can't foul out (iirc). It would give Val a chance to play and learn what he can and can't get away with. Furthermore he can focus on skills development and strength and conditioning. All this NT is going to do is make him even more fatigued then he already is. I was fine with letting him play when I thought he would get consistent minutes but i overestimated his ability. Now if you guys had a shot at winning a medal, I would say go ahead have fun, but that isn't likely either.

I'm hoping for 2 more losses so he can come over and get some rest then get ready for what will be a long and brutal season for him. You guys can have him every summer starting in 2014.

UcanUwill · Post #1466 » by **UcanUwill** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 8:48 pm

Dont forget Seibutis, he had a great season and I think he never was actually cut, and may be back, no? I think Javtokas/Valanciunas + Songaila center rotation is ok, its not like those guys gonna foul out in 10 minutes every game.

And who wants Petravicius? He is horrible. Think about center who is twice as bad rebounder as Bargs, no hyperbole... The fact coach played him instead of Jonas last year, was the biggest mistake he made that year, at least it lasted only 2 games, because that guy injured himself again.

Jstock12 · Post #1467 » by **Jstock12** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 8:59 pm

Jstock12 · Post #1468 » by **Jstock12** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 9:01 pm

nahom1319 wrote:In SL you can't foul out (iirc). It would give Val a chance to play and learn what he can and can't get away with. Furthermore he can focus on skills development and strength and conditioning. All this NT is going to do is make him even more fatigued then he already is. I was fine with letting him play when I thought he would get consistent minutes but i overestimated his ability. Now if you guys had a shot at winning a medal, I would say go ahead have fun, but that isn't likely either.

He wouldn't gain anything from the summer league what he couldn't gain from olympics and then some. I agree he will get tired a bit and that is understandable, but he's a young kid, he doesn't need nearly as much rest as the current rapidly declining Calderon for example (the other raptor playing in Olympics). About the medal thing, I wouldn't count us out just yet. There is only one team in the Olympics who is sure to win the medal (and that medal is gold) - USA. Other teams will definitely have a fight for the remaining two medals. And Lithuania is definitely in the mix there.

nahom1319 wrote:I'm hoping for 2 more losses so he can come over and get some rest then get ready for what will be a long and brutal season for him. You guys can have him every summer starting in 2014.

Not going to be a brutal season, IMO. He played for Rytas more games this year than any Raptor played for Raptors in this shortened season. He basically played an NBA paced schedule. Add national teams to the mix and you get a much much more brutal playing period.

I seriously doubt JV will turn down national team (unless there's an injury), certainly not for Raptors sake. Jonas seems to be a true patriot, much like Dirk.

It will definitely be interesting to watch him play as a rookie though.

UcanUwill · Post #1469 » by **UcanUwill** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 9:52 pm

Pissed RUS-NIG game is the first one. Don't know what to do, want Nigeria to win, but if Lithuania looses to Dominics, it could bite in the ass.

Compton_Killa10 · Post #1470 » by **Compton_Killa10** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 10:40 pm

Supercollider wrote:He's peaked. Let's amnesty him now while his value is still high.

Swag_Redefined · Post #1471 » by **Swag_Redefined** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 10:54 pm

Smokescreen!

peja drobnjak · Post #1472 » by **peja drobnjak** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 11:06 pm

UcanUwill wrote:Pissed RUS-NIG game is the first one. Don't know what to do, want Nigeria to win, but if Lithuania looses to Dominics, it could bite in the ass.

yeah, same, but phew seems like russia has it

nahom1319 · Post #1473 » by **nahom1319** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 11:57 pm

Jstock12 wrote: He wouldn't gain anything from the summer league what he couldn't gain from olympics and then some. I agree he will get tired a bit and that is understandable, but he's a young kid, he doesn't need nearly as much rest as the current rapidly declining Calderon for example (the other raptor playing in Olympics). About the medal thing, I wouldn't count us out just yet. There is only one team in the Olympics who is sure to win the medal (and that medal is gold) - USA. Other teams will definitely have a fight for the remaining two medals. And Lithuania is definitely in the mix there.

Not going to be a brutal season, IMO. He played for Rytas more games this year than any Raptor played for Raptors in this shortened season. He basically played an NBA paced schedule. Add national teams to the mix and you get a much much more brutal playing period.

I seriously doubt JV will turn down national team (unless there's an injury), certainly not for Raptors sake. Jonas seems to be a true patriot, much like Dirk.

It will definitely be interesting to watch him play as a rookie though.

The ability to play through fouls with nothing on the line allows him to understand the calls better. Here if he gets 2 fouls he's pulled, there they don't bat an eyelash. He will need rest, being young and being a 22 year old myself I can tell you that we don't have an infinite amount of energy. He's played 2 years of straight basketball, that's going to take a toll on anyone. Heck we had evidence of the toll it took early on this past season.

Futhermore there is nothing substantial to be gained by playing these qualification games. Sure he goes up against bigger players for 14 mins a game or so big whoop. He did the same thing last season and he clearly hasn't gotten much better defensively.

This nba season will be absoulutely brutal for Jonas. Not due to the long 82 game season, but the sheer talent he will go up against on an almost nightly basis. In our own division he will go up against Tyson/Amare, KG, Dwight (possibly) 4 times each. Then you have Horford, Noah, Hibbert, Bosh, Monroe, Nene, Varejao. Understanding that each opponent brings something to the table whether it be skill, physicality, speed etc. I'm not saying he will be powerless against them, simply that its going to be an adjustment that will take a big toll on him.

If he were already signed with the raptors I would have taken a hard-line approach with him and got him enrolled into several big man camps for strength and conditioning.

nahom1319 · Post #1474 » by **nahom1319** » Sat Jul 7, 2012 11:57 pm

peja drobnjak wrote:
UcanUwill wrote:Pissed RUS-NIG game is the first one. Don't know what to do, want Nigeria to win, but if Lithuania looses to Dominics, it could bite in the ass.

yeah, same, but phew seems like russia has it

Final Score?

Los Manos · Post #1475 » by **Los Manos** » Sun Jul 8, 2012 12:11 am

Good D on Horford by JV.

Lord_Zedd · Post #1476 » by **Lord_Zedd** » Sun Jul 8, 2012 12:14 am

nahom1319 wrote:
peja drobnjak wrote:
UcanUwill wrote:Pissed RUS-NIG game is the first one. Don't know what to do, want Nigeria to win, but if Lithuania looses to Dominics, it could bite in the ass.

yeah, same, but phew seems like russia has it

Final Score?

85-77 Russia

Tofubeque · Post #1477 » by **Tofubeque** » Sun Jul 8, 2012 12:16 am

Val's defense that quarter :droop:

nelabai · Post #1478 » by **nelabai** » Sun Jul 8, 2012 12:17 am

Val giving productive minutes so far, scores the basketball and plays good d, no fouls.

Inflymous · Post #1479 » by **Inflymous** » Sun Jul 8, 2012 12:17 am

woohoo no fouls in first quarter

kirkwood · Post #1480 » by **kirkwood** » Sun Jul 8, 2012 12:19 am

Who has a link