Memphis Grizzlies: Breaking Down The Players Acquired At The NBA Trade Deadline
By Chris Kern
Jonas Valanciunas
Jonas Valanciunas is the best player coming to Memphis this deadline. He has been dealing with some injuries this season but he has been a very productive starting center in this league.
He isn’t going to stretch the floor much but he will make a big impact down low but does struggle a bit defensively. This season he is averaging 12.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game but he has done so on limited minutes. His per 36 minutes are spectacular as he is averaging 24.5 points and 13.8 rebounds.
When looking at stats per 36 minutes isn’t the most reliable but it can show an impact a player has in limited minutes. He isn’t a top-notch shot blocker but he is a tough player and with Jaren Jackson Jr. alongside him, they form a very good big man duo. Add in Kyle Anderson and you have a frontcourt that is very underrated.
Figuring out how Jackson and Valanciunas fit will be key. Gasol was able to stay out on the perimeter on offense with the ability to stretch the floor as well as facilitate so he was a very good fit for Jackson. Valanciunas won’t be able to do that so fit could be a bit of a concern.
Obviously, this trade wouldn’t have been made if they didn’t feel they would work together so we can expect J.B. Bickerstaff to figure things out. Valanciunas has been out for nearly two months so he will be having to fit into a new team as well as getting back into game shape.
This isn’t a team that is trying to push towards the playoffs so they’ll have time to figure things out. If Conley is still on the team next season then you would expect this team to try and make a playoff run next season.
Valanciunas being a really good rebounder is big for this team. They really struggle to rebound the ball especially Jackson who averages just 4.8 rebounds per game.
It’s going to be fun to see how he fits with the rest of this team but he is a really good player so Grizzlies fans shouldn’t worry. Gasol was a longtime star for this team but we shouldn’t expect much of a production drop off at the center spot.