Raptors sign Jonas Valanciunas to contract extension

The Toronto Raptors have signed centre Jonas Valanciunas to a long-term contract extension. ESPN’s Marc Stein confirmed the numbers.

Big news for Toronto Raptors fans coming out of Lithuania today. Since the 23-year-old is still playing out what’s left of his rookie deal, the huge payday wouldn’t kick in until 2016-17. The Raptors hope he’ll be lighter and quicker this season, so that pick-and-roll coverage and weak-side rotations aren’t as much of an issue as they’ve been in the past. That’s the situation the Oklahoma City Thunder recently found themselves in when the suddenly empty cupboard Portland Trail Blazers offered center Enes Kanter $70 million over four years, forcing the Thunder to begrudgingly bite the bullet and match. They’re paying him for what he’ll do the next four years, and I think that will work very well for Toronto.

“Precisely what Valanciunas is worth is a matter of debate, “Michael Grange of Sportsnet wrote”. Next summer more than half the teams in the league will have a lot of cap room so the Raptors wanting to sign Valanciunas to a deal now makes a lot of sense.

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

The Raptors aren’t paying him for what he’s done. 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 attempted 15 shots or more in eight games for his entire career. Nevertheless, Valanciunas posted a career-best shooting percentage and had a PER over 20 last season.

Verticality has also been Valanciunas’ friend. Bigs who protect the rim get paid; Omer Asik landed a $60 million deal this offseason without a discernible offensive skill.