Jonas Valanciunas will soon be a free agent after getting waived by the Denver Nuggets. If the New York Knicks know what’s good for them, they’ll pass on the opportunity to sign him. He’s too redundant with Andre Drummond, and the team needs something entirely different out of the third center it’s inevitably going to add.
Shams Charania of ESPN first reported the news that Denver would be waiving the 34-year-old, who had just $2 million of his $10 million salary guaranteed for next season. Valanciunas is now expected to draw interest from “multiple” teams.
The Knicks might be among them.
Ian Begley of SNY name-checked the Lithuanian behemoth as a possible target to fill the third big-man slot. But New York has already deviated enough from its preferred center archetype with the Drummond signing. Adding Valanciunas would be overkill.
The Knicks need to focus on mobility and defense at center
The Knicks clearly set out to replace Mitchell Robinson with someone comparably mobile, who might offer more polish as a pick-and-roll finisher. That explains their reported interest in Moussa Diabate of the Charlotte Hornets.
New York is better off continuing to explore that exact path rather than cut its search short by signing Valanciunas to a minimum deal.
Much like Drummond, he is slower-footed and not much of a rim protector. Though Valanciunas graded out as a net positive in points at the basket saved per 100 possessions last season, it was his first time doing so since 2021. He has never been deft at guarding in space, and that’s not going to change entering Year 15.
Valanciunas can still ferry higher offensive usage than most second- or third-string bigs. Whatever. The Knicks don’t need that out of their reserve big man. They have secondary options galore elsewhere.
New York is better off going with Andre Drummond and TBD targets
Assuming the Knicks were only going to choose one of Drummond or Valanciunas, they made the right decision pouncing on the former. While the pair are similarly imposing on the offensive glass, Drummond has outstripped Valanciunas’ three-point volume by a measurable margin.
Granted, neither one of them has a ton of gravity away from the ball. Defenses will count an Andre Drummond corner-three attempt as a victory. Still, after more than tripling Valanciunas’ total long-range volume last season, Drummond is more likely to preserve New York’s pristine spacing when Karl-Anthony Towns catches a breather.
In the event this boils down to signing Valanciunas or flying blind during the search for another big, well, flying blind wins in a landslide. The Knicks have room for two more veteran minimum contracts. Superior options could emerge between now, and training camp.
Failing that, better-fitting trade targets could become available. New York doesn’t have a ton of flexibility, but staying out of the second apron allows it to aggregate contracts. The front office’s acquisition of second-round picks also gives the Knicks plenty of sweeteners.
Faced with the choice between Valanciunas or waiting out to-be-determined opportunities, it isn’t even a contest. The Knicks, in this case, should embrace the unknown.
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