Insider: Lakers Unlikely to Trade For Wizards Center

The Washington Wizards aren't considered a likely trade partner for the Los Angeles Lakers anymore.

Jeremy Brener | 16 Hours Ago

Dec 19, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) dunks the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard Isaiah Wong (21) looks on in the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas is expected to be a hot commodity in trade talks leading up to the Feb. 6 deadline in six weeks' time.

Valanciunas, 32, became trade-eligible on Dec. 15 after his restriction expired following the new contract he signed during the offseason for three years and $30 million.

A team that has long been linked to the Lithuanian center is the Los Angeles Lakers, but The Athletic insider Jovan Buha doesn't believe a deal will happen with Valanciunas and the Wizards.

"The fact that they haven't, that is making me feel with each passing day it's probably less likely that Valanciunas ends up a Laker," Buha said in a recent video.

The Wizards would be wise to hold onto Valanciunas for as long as they can if they are looking to trade him. However, given the fact that he isn't on an expiring deal, the Wizards can also choose to keep the former No. 5 overall pick from the 2011 NBA Draft.

Valanciunas has proven to be the consummate professional and veteran that the Wizards look up to, which is an important role for a rebuilding team. The Wizards need to decide if whatever value they can get for Valanciunas is more than his presence on the team. That's a difficult thing to gauge since the value isn't seen in a box score.

The Lakers know they need to make upgrades with LeBron James in the twilight of his career and Anthony Davis is in his prime, and Valanciunas could be seen as such. That being said, if the Wizards are going to keep Valanciunas for the time being, the Lakers need to look at other options around the league in case the Wizards choose to keep him past this year's trade deadline.

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Published 16 Hours Ago

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.