Former No. 5 overall pick Jonas Valanciunas has been traded ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Valanciunas is headed to the Sacramento Kings. The Washington Wizards are receiving Sidy Cissoko and two second-round draft picks in return for Valanciunas.
Valanciunas was a lottery pick in 2011 and was in his first season with the Wizards after being traded there by the Pelicans last year. He began his career with the Toronto Raptors and played seven seasons for them before moving to Memphis and then New Orleans. The Kings will be Valanciunas’ fifth NBA team.
The 32-year-old center is averaging 11.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
The Kings are absorbing Valanciunas with one of their exceptions and were able to fit him under the luxury tax after shedding De’Aaron Fox’s salary in a previous trade with the Spurs.
The Sacramento Kings will absorb Jonas Valanciunas with one of their exceptions.
The tax flexibility gained from the De’Aaron Fox trade allows them to take on Valanciunas’ $9.9 million salary without sending back any significant salaries.
They’re $2.5 million below the luxury…
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) February 5, 2025
Valanciunas joining the Kings will unite him with his fellow Lithuania national team teammate, Domantas Sabonis.
Kings fans may not have liked the trade of Fox, but at least the franchise is trying to make up in another way by adding Valanciunas.
Sacramento entered play on Wednesday 25-24, which placed them in a three-way tie for 8th in the West.
