NBA: Kings acquire Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas

Feb 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) celebrates his basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves with less than 20 seconds to go in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings obtained veteran center Jonas Valanciunas from the Washington Wizards for forward Sidy Cissoko and two second-round NBA picks, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

The transaction was the second on Wednesday for the Wizards ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. They also dealt forward Kyle Kuzma to the Milwaukee Bucks for forward Khris Middleton as part of a package of players and draft picks.

Valanciunas, 32, was averaging 11.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 20.1 minutes in 49 games (12 starts) in his first season in Washington after a July 2024 sign-and-trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. His three-year, $30 million contract is guaranteed through next season, with a non-guaranteed $10 million compensation in 2026-27, according to reports.

READ: Jonas Valanciunas relishes Lithuania’s first win over Team USA since 2004

In his 13-year career, Valanciunas is averaging 13.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 25.4 minutes in 905 games (839 starts). Selected fifth overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by Toronto, he has played for the Raptors (2012-19), Memphis Grizzlies (2019-21), Pelicans (2021-24) and Wizards.

He made NBA All-Rookie second team in 2012-13.

Cissoko, 20, was a second-round pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 draft. He averaged 3.8 points and 11.8 minutes in 12 games last season and 1.3 points and 3.2 minutes in 17 games as a reserve this season.

He was part of a three-team trade on Monday which sent him to Sacramento, Zach LaVine from Chicago to Sacramento and De’Aaron Fox from Sacramento to San Antonio among multiple players and draft picks changing teams.

According to ESPN, the Kings are sending the Wizards a 2028 Denver Nuggets second-round pick (if between Nos. 34-60) that Sacramento acquired in Monday’s trade. They also are sending their own second-rounder in 2029 to the Wizards. –Field Level Media