The Philadelphia 76ers may have turned in a highly impressive commencement to their offseason slate, but the work is far from over. The free agency market is still on, and one of their biggest weaknesses in recent years, which is having a reliable big man off the bench, still does not have a firm resolution. That, however, could change with Jonas Valanciunas.
As reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, the Lithuanian big man had just been waived by the Nuggets, making him a free agent. He is set to receive a lot of interest in the open market, and to that effect, the 76ers would be much better off joining in on what could be an interesting, yet inexpensive bidding war for the veteran center.
Aside from the fact that Valanciunas is a 14-year veteran who is already proven and battle-tested, he fits a slew of needs for the 76ers. He is a nifty scorer inside who is particularly imposing down low, and his rebounding is another standout skill of his. He has always been one of the most productive players in the league per minute –– something Philly would savor having off their otherwise putrid bench.
The 76ers have to take a closer look at Jonas Valanciunas in free agency
Last season, Valanciunas saw his role get drastically shafted –– and understandably so. Being the backup to Nikola Jokic automates a heavy reduction in playing time. As a result, Valanciunas ended up averaging just 13.4 minutes a night, easily the lowest mark of his career.
Despite that, the veteran was a steady presence for the Nuggets' second unit, averaging 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in his limited court time. He drained more than 58 percent of his shots, showcasing his offensive repertoire even in his minuscule minutes.
Right now, the 76ers have a bevy of unproven options at center as depth insurance for Joel Embiid. With the former MVP still on deck to miss games by design, only having inexperienced players to try and fill his void is a daunting strategy that should perhaps be avoided.
Valanciunas is no longer a starting-caliber player, but he is certainly still productive when given minutes. That makes him an ideal role player to have since he can be a fixture off the bench with his scoring acumen, something which the likes of Adem Bona, Dominick Barlow, and Ariel Hukporti simply do not have on a consistent basis.
Hopefully, the front office can recognize this huge free agency opportunity in front of them. Jonas Valanciunas may be a shell of his former self, but he nevertheless remains a solid player in limited dosages.
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