Relegated to a smaller role, Jonas Valanciunas must find a way to make an impact for the Toronto Raptors.
It's been a tough adjustment for Jonas Valanaciunas after the Toronto Raptors' acquisition of Serge Ibaka. He has only averaged 19 minutes per game since Ibaka's arrival, down from his season average of 26.1.
Focus and consistency have always been an issue for Valanciunas, and the reduced minutes have had a visible effect on his drive and motivation. Now, with his deficiencies holding his minutes down, he must find a way to make a consistent impact during the minutes he has.
There have been a few bright spots for Valanciunas over the last six games. Against the Bucks, Knicks, and Blazers, Valanciunas has averaged 12.6 points per game on 16-for-17 shooting. The issue is in the other three games he averaged 5.3 points per game on 7-of-18 shooting.
While those numbers are dragged down by his 3-for-12 night against the Wizards, the lack of assertiveness over that stretch was glaring.
Valanciunas will turn 25 years old in just over a month. To this point in his career, there hasn't been substantial growth to his game. He has added size, but doesn't necessarily play tougher.
The one consistent area of growth has been his rebounding numbers, where he is among the league's best on the offensive boards.
However, his lack of commitment to the defensive end still stands out as a glaring weakness–a weakness that has caused him to be relegated to this smaller role.
Whether or not Valanciunas fits in with the Raptors long-term remains to be seen. The team was rumored to be shopping him at the trade deadline, but couldn't find a deal.
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With Kyle Lowry, Ibaka, and Patrick Patterson in need of new contracts, it could be tough to afford to keep players such as Valanciunas, DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph.
Regardless of his fit in the big picture, Valanciunas needs to find a way to make an impact now. One-dimensional centers like him are often relegated to smaller roles in other situations. Both Enes Kanter and Greg Monroe come off the bench for their respective teams.
The difference is both players have embraced their smaller role and found a way to make an impact.
For Valanciunas, he is unlikely to lose his starting role. Lucas Nogueira isn't a starting player and the minutes Valanciunas absorbs in the first three quarters allows the team to play small late. Through six games, Valanciunas hasn't played a single minute in the fourth quarter.
The Raptors have outscored the opposition in the fourth quarter of each of those six games.
So with the effectiveness of benching Valanciunas with the game on the line, it's unlikely that the defensive-minded Dwane Casey changes his approach. What this means for Valanciunas is that he needs to make a consistent impact in the minutes that he is in.
To this point, the addition of Ibaka hasn't helped cover up for Valanciunas. In minutes they share together, the Raptors get outscored by 11.3 points per 100 possessions. With Ibaka on and Valanciunas off, the Raptors outscore the opposition by 14.1 points per 100 possessions.
Knowing that his minutes will be limited, there isn't an excuse for Valanciunas to be saving his energy on defense. He has shown the ability to be a capable defender at times during his career. But his focus and effort on that end of the floor has been relatively non-existent.
His foot speed will always be an issue and limit his defensive ceiling. Plus the defensive schemes of the Raptors put him in a tough position when defending the pick and roll. However, he cannot continue his habit of losing his man off-ball or failing to contest shots at the rim.
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On the offensive end of the floor, it's important that he remains assertive. When he's engaged, Valanciunas is a monster on the offensive boards and a force inside the paint. He also is an effective scorer in the pick and roll.
Yet if the team doesn't make him a priority, he can begin to float offensively.
The Raptors do have a tendency to go away from team ball, so they share some responsibility in Valanciunas' offensive inconsistency. But his tendency to respond with shutting down does not help the situation. He has an ability to create possessions for himself on the offensive glass.
Plus when he's being assertive, he is typically rewarded with touches. If his defensive effort isn't going to improve, the least he can do is give a better effort on offense.
If Valanciunas can't find a way to be effective in a smaller role, his days with the Raptors are likely numbered. It's hard to win in today's NBA with an immobile center that doesn't play defense. Versatility has become key, especially on the defensive end.
Valanciunas has become a relic of another era in the NBA and unless he can adapt, he no longer can be viewed as a cornerstone piece.
