I don't think Jonas is a draft-and-stash type player... Correct me if I'm wrong, but everything I've read about him suggests he wants to play in the NBA ASAP...
While the impending NBA lockout this summer looks like a major thorn in the side of most college players, for Valanciunas it couldn't be better news. He'll be able to lock himself into a very favorable spot on the NBA rookie scale by being drafted this year but will still have the opportunity to return to Lithuania for another season (if he chooses to) and come to the NBA as a much more ready prospect.
Valanciunas has some issues to work out with his buyout from Rytas still, but he unequivocally wants to play in the NBA, telling us that that's his dream in fact.
“My biggest point is to go to the NBA, Valanciunas says. “It's my dream. My goal is to improve so I can play in the NBA.”
With that said, Valanciunas isn't necessarily willing to leave at all costs. “I want to go to the NBA when I can play,” he told us. “Not to go there and sit on the bench. If I go and sit on the bench that not good for me and it's not good for the club.”
Valanciunas' European agent, Sarunas Broga, says that its “too early to say what's going to happen, but the decision about the NBA will ultimately be made by Jonas.”
He plans on using the next few months to learn more about his draft stock and the teams that will likely be picking in the lottery—with the help of Valanciunas' new American agents, Leon Rose and Steven Heumann of CAA—and reach an agreement with Lietuvos Rytas about a sliding buyout scale figure to get out of his contract if needed. An invitation to play in the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland in April is also in the works.
The Valanciunas camp doesn't seem to be in any rush to commit to anything at this point.
“I'm thinking about making good results in basketball, Valanciunas says. “If I make good results, these things will come. When the season ends I will look at everything and me and my agent will think about all. Right now we're only halfway through the season. I still have a lot of work to do. I need to focus on basketball."
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jonas-Valanciunas-5622/#ixzz1G637dXNr
Just a couple of other things to point out:
* Valanciunas' per 48 pace adjusted numbers are ridiculous considering his age, experience, competition and that he's coming off the bench... He's averaging 20pts, 14.6reb, 1.7bpg on 70fg% & 91ft%.... He also has a 26 PER and 74ts%, which is ridiculous efficiency... The one thing that is concerning is that he's averaging 8.2 fouls during that time too which is A LOT... I'm hoping it's more of him learning the game and learning how to play then him just being foul prone...
* I read a tweet from Jonathan Givony said a study at the Sloan Sports Conference reported that the most translatable stat from overseas basketball to the NBA is blocked shots... Valanciunas is only averaging 1.7 per 48 pace adjusted, but he's shown to be a pretty good shot-blocker in his limited playing time which should make him a good defensive presence in this league...
* The key to Valanciunas success in the NBA will be how strong he can prove to be.. Guys like Joakim Noah, Marcus Camby and Tyson Chandler aren't the bulkiest guys but are strong enough to where they can survive and be good defensive centers on good defensive teams... Valanciunas doesn't need to get Dwight Howard strong to be a good NBA center but if he can put on some good muscle weight he'll be fine.. BTW for comparison's sake: Camby, Chandler and Noah all came in the NBA in the low 220's... Howard, Javale McGee and Horford came in the NBA in the mid 240's... Nene, Bogut and Okafor all came in the NBA in the mid 250's...
