Nuggets' Jonas Valanciunas: Scores 12 in 13 minutes
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Valanciunas supplied 12 points (4-10 FG, 4-5 FT), seven rebounds and one assist across 13 minutes during Saturday's 133-111 win over the Suns.
Valanciunas didn't play heavy minutes but was active when on the floor, finishing in double figures and tying for the third-most shot attempts on the team while making his presence felt on the glass. The veteran big man isn't challenging superstar Nikola Jokic for the starting job anytime soon, but Valanciunas has been a steady and productive contributor in his backup role so far this season.
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Nuggets' Jonas Valanciunas: Plays well off bench
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Valanciunas produced eight points (4-5 FG), three rebounds, two assists and one block over 12 minutes during Thursday's 137-131 overtime loss to the Warriors.
As well as Valanciunas played, his workload was pretty disappointing. There's been some talk about Valanciunas sharing the floor with Nikola Jokic in "certain situations," but it's hard to imagine that happening often. Valanciunas' fantasy appeal is likely going to be limited to deeper leagues for the time being.
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Nuggets' Jonas Valanciunas: Starting Friday
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Valanciunas is in the starting lineup for Friday's preseason game against the Thunder, Katy Winge of Altitude Sports reports.
The Nuggets will be resting most of their regular starters, so Valanciunas will get the starting nod at center over Nikola Jokic. Valanciunas figures to have a steady role as the main big off the bench once the Nuggets open their regular season against the Warriors on Oct. 23.
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Nuggets' Jonas Valanciunas: Near double-double off bench
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Valanciunas delivered 10 points (5-7 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 0-1 FT), nine rebounds and an assist in 18 minutes off the bench during Sunday's 102-94 preseason win over the Clippers.
He also committed four turnovers and five fouls, but it was still an effective performance from Valanciunas. Having the 33-year-old big man on the roster could allow the Nuggets to ease up on Nikola Jokic's workload a bit during the regular season, but after Valanciunas averaged a career-low 18.8 minutes per game over 81 regular-season contests last season between Washington and Sacramento, he isn't likely to see his usage increase in Denver.
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Nuggets' Jonas Valanciunas: Traded to Denver
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The Kings traded Valanciunas to the Nuggets on Tuesday in exchange for Dario Saric, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Valanciunas will now share the frontcourt with Nikola Jokic in Denver after playing for Washington and Sacramento during the 2024-25 campaign. Valanciunas played in 81 regular-season games last season, averaging 10.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 55 percent from the field.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Swats two shots off bench
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Valanciunas registered four points (2-2 FG), one rebound and two blocks over 10 minutes during Wednesday's 120-106 Play-In Game loss to the Mavericks.
Valanciunas was traded from the Wizards to the Kings in February and has primarily operated as the backup center to Domantas Sabonis. Across Valanciunas' 32 regular-season appearances for Sacramento, including nine starts, he averaged 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 16.9 minutes.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Double-doubles in win
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Valanciunas produced 10 points (2-5 FG, 6-6 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist and one block in 13 minutes during Monday's 127-117 victory over the Pistons.
Valanciunas needed just 13 minutes to record his first double-double in his past 11 games. Outside of a brief period when Domantas Sabonis was sidelined due to injury, it's been a modest stretch of games for Valanciunas. Since being acquired from the Wizards prior to the trade deadline, he has served primarily as the backup center, typically playing minutes in the low teens.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Plays just eight minutes
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Valanciunas totaled two points (0-4 FG, 2-2 FT), two rebounds and one assist across eight minutes during Tuesday's 121-105 loss to Oklahoma City.
With Domantas Sabonis playing both games of this back-to-back set with an average of 35.0 minutes, there isn't much room for Valanciunas to produce much fantasy value. Over his last two games, Valanciunas has averaged a mere 10.5 minutes per contest.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Sliding to bench vs. Boston
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Valanciunas won't start in Monday's game against the Celtics.
Domantas Sabonis will return from a three-game absence due to a sprained right ankle Monday, pushing Valanciunas back to the bench. The veteran big man has averaged 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists across 19.0 minutes per game over his last five outings (three starts).
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Logs 18 points in loss
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Valanciunas provided 18 points (8-11 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds and one assist over 27 minutes during Saturday's 114-108 loss to the Bucks.
Although Valanciunas' work in place of Domantas Sabonis (ankle) has been steady, his totals are far below what's needed to replace the All-Star. The team is 1-2 since Sabonis went down, and they suffered through a 2-4 slump when he missed six games earlier in the month. Increased production will be needed from Valanciunas as the Kings struggle to earn a playoff berth.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Posts double-double in start
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Valanciunas provided 12 points (5-12 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 13 rebounds and two assists across 25 minutes during Wednesday's 123-119 win over the Cavaliers.
Valanciunas made his way back into the first unit in the absence of Domantas Sabonis (ankle), pacing the team in rebounds while posting a double-double. With Sabonis slated to miss the next few games, fantasy managers should make sure Valanciunas isn't floating around waiver wires. The veteran big man has now started seven games for the Kings, averaging 12.0 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.7 steals in 26.4 minutes as a member of the first unit.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Swats three shots in win
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Valanciunas finished with eight points (4-5 FG), five rebounds, three assists and three blocks across 16 minutes during Monday's 132-122 win over Memphis.
Domantas Sabonis suffered a right ankle injury during the third quarter of Monday's game against the Grizzlies and left for good after 12 minutes. It's unclear if Sabonis will miss the upcoming back-to-back set that begins Wednesday, but Valanciunas could be asked to step up if Sacramento's franchise center is unable to go. In 18 total starts this season, Valanciunas holds averages of 12.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.7 steals.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Shifts to bench against Suns
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Valanciunas is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game the Suns.
With Domantas Sabonis returning from a hamstring strain Friday, it's not surprising to see Valanciunas shift back to the second unit. Over nine outings off the bench since joining the Kings, the veteran big man has averaged 8.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks in 16.0 minutes.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Limited run in loss Thursday
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Valanciunas closed with five points (2-7 FG, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds and one block across 14 minutes during Thursday's 130-104 loss to Golden State.
The big man struggled on the offensive end while receiving the starting nod for the sixth consecutive contest due to Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) being sidelined. During that six-game span, Valanciunas has averaged 12.0 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.0 blocks across 26.7 minutes per contest. However, the 32-year-old played only 14 minutes Thursday, as Trey Lyles (22 minutes) received a slight uptick in playing time in the second unit.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Pulls down 17 rebounds
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Valanciunas had nine points (3-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 17 rebounds, seven assists, one block and one steal over 42 minutes during Sunday's 111-110 overtime loss to the Clippers.
Making another start for the injured Domantas Sabonis (hamstring), Valanciunas matched his season-high mark of 17 rebounds. Over his last four starts, Valanciunas has turned up the heat with averages of 14.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks in 31.0 minutes. Meanwhile, Sabonis remains day-to-day for the Kings.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Logs 15/12 double-double
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Valanciunas accumulated 15 points (7-8 FG, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, six assists, one block and two steals over 27 minutes during Friday's 127-109 win over San Antonio.
The Kings have managed to go 2-1 without Domantas Sabonis (hamstring), due in large part to Valanciunas' solid play under the basket. He's logged three double-doubles over the past four games and should be added in all fantasy formats while Sabonis is sidelined.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Records double-double in loss
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Valanciunas finished with 19 points (8-14 FG, 3-4 FT), 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals in 32 minutes during Wednesday's 116-110 loss to Denver.
Valanciunas made a bigger impact in his second start, helping to ease the loss felt by Domantas Sabonis' (hamstring) absence. The Kings will need consistent support from the veteran center as they try to fill the noticeable gap in production, and Wednesday's line shows that he is more than capable.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Starting vs. Dallas
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Valanciunas is starting Monday's game against the Mavericks, James Ham of ESPN 1320 Sacramento reports.
Valanciunas will enter the starting lineup at center due to the absence of Domantas Sabonis (hamstring), who will remain out for at least one week. Valanciunas should be the top candidate to eat up minutes at center until Sabonis is cleared to return.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Makes most of Sabonis' absence
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Valanciunas finished Saturday's 113-103 win over the Rockets with 15 points (7-10 FG, 1-1 FT), 14 rebounds, one assist, three blocks and four steals in 30 minutes.
Valanciunas had to play a bigger role than expected since Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) left the contest in the early stages of the first quarter, but he thrived in an expanded role and posted an impressive line. This was his first double-double since joining the Kings, and while he's averaging 8.4 points and 6.1 boards per contest since the trade, Valanciunas could be in line for a more significant role at center if Sabonis is forced to miss time.
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Kings' Jonas Valanciunas: Small role in Sactown debut
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Valanciunas ended Thursday's 108-102 loss to the Trail Blazers with six points (2-8 FG, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and three assists across 17 minutes off the bench.
The veteran center was acquired from the Wizards on Wednesday and wasted little time making his Kings debut. Valanciunas provided solid per-minute production from the second unit, but with Domantas Sabonis locked into the starting job, Valanciunas may have trouble seeing even the 20.5 minutes a game he'd been averaging for Washington since Christmas.
