On Monday it was announced that Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas had taken a leave from training with his Lithuanian national club to return to Toronto with the reported intention of shoring up the details of a contract extension with the team.
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Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reports the deal is for four years, $64 million, and the fourth year is a player option. Back in early July, DeMarre Carroll signed on for identical terms in both length and value, making him the Raptors’ highest paid player. At 7-foot and 255 pounds, Valanciunas provides the Raptors with a consistent, reliable down-low threat they can look to in the post for the next half decade.
A fixed deal with the Toronto Raptors will reportedly endow Valanciunas with a measure of security to head into the EuroBasket Tournament next month.
“By inking the contract now, instead of after this season, Valanciunas leaves money on the table if he turns in a breakout campaign (because he’d be eligible for a lot more per season next year, when the NBA” salary cap jumps significantly).
A year ago the Orlando Magic signed Nikola Vucevic to a four-year extension for $48 million that kicks in this season against a $70-million salary cap.
As for what it means for the Raptors future, they needed to lock up Valanciunas.
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With New York 14-5 the last nineteen games in this series, we recommend a 1* play on the Mets. He joined the Raptors before the 2012-13 season. Otherwise, they will become restricted free agents next summer. Part of that is schematic-he averaged fewer touches per game than Carlos Boozer last season-but it’s also because Valanciunas tends to settle for a background role. Of the two 23-year-olds, Valanciunas has better career scoring numbers, better rebounding numbers and boasts a far superior defensive presence to Kanter, who will earn more over the course of the respective deals.
