The Lakers’ move to bring in Kevon Looney may have done more than fill their own backup-center need. It also looks like a serious blow to any chance Jonas Valanciunas had of landing in Los Angeles, and that matters for what comes next in Denver.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Lakers signed Looney to a one-year, $3.9 million minimum contract. Los Angeles had been searching for help behind the starting center spot, and there had been buzz that the team might have interest in Valanciunas. With Looney now in place, that path appears to be closed.
That leaves Valanciunas staring at a tricky situation with the Nuggets. On July 8th, the $8 million kicker guarantee on his $10 million contract kicks in, and Denver may be looking to trim salary to stay away from the second apron penalty threshold.
The recent addition of Marvin Bagley III only adds more pressure to the situation. The Nuggets could still hold onto Valanciunas for a while in hopes of finding a trade partner, but the clock is working against him.
The cleaner move, at least from the reporting here, would be to move on from him. Valanciunas was not the answer last season when Nikola Jokic went to the bench, and the Nuggets need a different kind of backup big. They need rim protection and defense, and Valanciunas did not provide that.
Bagley changes the picture. The Nuggets just brought in a player described as having size, quickness and athleticism, with his defense improving as his NBA career has gone on.
He was the second overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and the case for him is simple: he looks like the better fit. He can protect the rim better, keep up with fours and fives, and handle switches with his mobility.
Looney’s arrival also underlines another uncomfortable reality for Valanciunas. There are backup centers out there who can do the job for less money, and the Lakers just found one.
Looney is considered the better defender, which helps explain why Los Angeles went that direction instead of chasing Valanciunas in a trade. They spent less and still addressed the need.
So while Denver could technically keep Valanciunas around and use him as trade bait, the direction of travel feels obvious. With Bagley in the mix and the money situation tightening, the Nuggets have every reason to let Big Val move on.
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