Raptors sign Jonas Valanciunas to four-year extension

– The Toronto Raptors have signed center Jonas Valanciunas to a four-year contract extension. Another win in an already successful off-season for the team, especially considering a 4-year max contract extension would have been in the $93m ballpark once the salary cap rises next season.

Valanciunas was selected fifth overall by the Raptors in the 2011 National Basketball Association draft.

The contract itself has a player option for the fourth year and is a straight up deal, which means that JV is guaranteed $64 million and will receive no bonus incentives, according to Woj.

When you look at the third season of each of the four players, it’s not hard to make the case that Valanciunas had the best year. They’re also getting him to sign a long-term deal before hitting restricted free agency, where a drunk-with-cap-space general manager could offer him a contract well beyond Toronto’s comfort zone. He attempted 15 shots or more in eight games for his entire career.

‘Show me the money!’ is what I imagine Toronto Raptors Centre Jonas Valanciunas yelling to his agent.

With Valanciunas locked up and their core of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and the newly acquired DeMarre Carroll, expectations will be high for the Raptors. It’s no coincidence Valanciunas played just 292 total fourth-quarter minutes last season, and even stayed on the bench entirely for the final stanza of 23 regular season games. He has averaged 10.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 223 career games, nearly all of them as a starter.

The Raptors and Valanciunas have until October 31 to get an extension done, as that is the deadline for all players who debuted in 2012, but they likely won’t need that much time as the deal should reportedly be done within the next few days. “We feel he’s made great progress, he loves the city, he loves the fans and he loves everything about Toronto and that’s what we want to embrace here”. While his post scoring and rebounding is excellent, he’s struggled with coach Dwane Casey’s defensive schemes and often disappears in games.