Jonas Valanciunas Makes Case As Knicks' Missing Piece

Jonas Valanciunas gave the New York Knicks plenty to think about after two games in Washington.

Dec 30, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) fight for position during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Could Jonas Valanciunas be the New York Knicks' federal bailout?

The Knicks hardly need the taxpayer's assistance at this point, as they've won eighth straight going into 2025, closing the year with a mini-sweep of the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Heading into New Year's Eve action, the Knicks (23-10) sit a half-game behind the defending champion Boston Celtics for second place on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.

Even with the resounding early success, the Knicks figure to be active at the upcoming trade deadline and backup center appears to be the flavor of the month and a scoop of Valanciunas might prove satisfying.

Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York has rendered its problems in the paint long forgotten thanks to Karl-Anthony Towns living up to his billing and then some while Precious Achiuwa has been a solid spell option in lieu of the injured Mitchell Robinson.

Achiuwa, however, views himself more as a power forward rather than a pure center. It's widely expected that Robinson returns in the new year but when and where that happens is anyone's guess. The team doesn't appear to trust the veteran Jericho Sims or the rookie Ariel Hukporti with extended minutes, which could have them hunting for interior help come February.

The calendar-closing couple in Washington served not only as an opportunity for the Knicks to take care of business but also might have been a de facto audition for the woebegone Wizards: from the get-go, it figured to a rebuilding season in the nation's capital and that prophecy has come to pass and then some. The Wizards (5-25) lost every part of their November slate and are long forgotten from the Eastern playoff picture.

To his credit, Valanciunas has taken the assignment in stride and he was at the height of his powers on Monday against the Knicks with 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting while falling one rebound short of a double-double off the bench. He's averaging 11.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in 30 showings this season and a contending team that relies so heavily on killing opposing possessions and extending their own via rebounds--a.k.a. the Knicks--yearns for that kind of production.

Rumor has it that the Knicks sought out Valanciunas' services before the Towns blockbuster and they'll no doubt have scouts lingering at the sites of rebuilds in Washington, Charlotte, Utah, and more. Valanciunas briefly addressed the Knicks' supposed interest to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post and offered an intriguing insight on what could transpire in a potential Manhattan deal.

“I don’t know how serious that was. My agent was handling,” Valanciunas told Bondy. “I heard something from that side. But there’s a lot of X’s and O’s, salary cap issues, this and that, strategic stuff. Every team does what they think is the best for them.”

Feb 25, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) dunks past New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas (17) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

To that end, any trade with the Wizards would likely require the Knicks to part ways with named assets. Obviously, Washington is trying to up its draft capital (much like the Brooklyn Nets did when they dealt Dorian Finney-Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers) but no rebuild is complete without a veteran or two to show the supposed young saviors (i.e. Carlton "Bub" Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr) the NBA ropes.

Thus, it stands to reason any deal for Valanciunas would likely have to involve Robinson, creating a changing of the guard for the Knicks interior. As one of the last traditional NBA centers, Robinson is a weapon from a bygone era that the Knicks have used to their advantage, but if they're going to flip him for a new asset, now is the time, especially since they'd have to deal active salary away to both take on Valanciunas remaining two-plus years and stay under the second tax apron, a forbidden forest the Knicks have prudently stayed clear of despite writing some massive checks.

Over the last two games, Valanciunas proved that such a swing might work in New York's favor and he plans on using whatever time he has left in Washington to his advantage.

“You’ve got to stay patient,” Valanciunas said in Bondy's report. “But we get better, we practice and the young guys drive me to get better, too. I feel the kick in my [butt] to practice and get better and work on my skills. So I’m taking advantage from that.”

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