Raptors and Jonas Agree on 4-year, $64million Contract Extension

A report suggests that the Toronto Raptors are nearing a deal with center Jonas Valanciunas for a four-year contract extension.

The Raptors didn’t disclose the financial details of the contract, but ESPN reported it’s a four-year, $64 million deal with a player option to return to free agency entering the fourth year.

He finished the 2014-2015 season averaging a career-high 12 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

Initially, this a great deal for both JV and the Raptors. However, if all of those guys continue to grow as a unit and Valanciunas is able to continue improving, they shouldn’t have a problem meeting those expectations and being a force in the Eastern Conference. The easy comparable among NBA centers is Enes Kanter, who was signed to a four-year, $70 million offer sheet by the Portland Trail Blazers that was then matched by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Valanciunas traveled to Toronto from his native Lithuania, where he was preparing for the upcoming EuroBasket Tournament, to finalize terms. With Johnson gone, Valanciunas’ minutes could perhaps soar this year.

The 23-year-old was drafted fifth overall by the Raptors in 2011. While he may still struggle occasionally, the Dinos will need to live and die with him in order to keep those mistakes from happening again in the future. Otherwise, they will become restricted free agents next summer. He could easily average 15 points, 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting close to 60 per cent on a winning team.

The Toronto Raptors have managed to find themselves in the top half of the Eastern Conference in the past couple of seasons, banking on a the strength of a young roster that should be expected to only get better the longer they play together.

It’s what he hasn’t shown that still means he can get better, and there’s reason to believe he will; that’s what makes this deal so good for Toronto.