Jonas

Valanciunas

It’s a bit of a surprising move for both sides as Valanciunas opts to sign with a rebuilding team, and Washington adds another center to a frontcourt that includes Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III and just drafted Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick in the draft. Valanciunas’ minutes were cut in his last season with New Orleans, and his production suffered because of it. It’s unclear what kind of role he’ll have in Washington, but all of the abovementioned players likely get a ding in fantasy value. New Orleans lost Larry Nance Jr. to the Hawks in the Dejounte Murray trade, so the Pelicans may be forced to give big minutes to rookie center Yves Missi right away.

After only playing 12 minutes in their last game, with Willie Green opting to use a smaller lineup, JV was back to his usual minutes in this one. He wasn’t quite as dominant on the glass as he was in Game 1, but he was still able to haul in a game-high 13 boards. After a strong run of fantasy success, JV’s minutes have dipped over the last two seasons, which has limited his fantasy impact. He is still a beast on the boards, but it is difficult for him to contribute much else in 23.4 minutes per game, which was his role this season.

Valanciunas followed up his 20-rebound performance from Game 1 with another strong showing. The New Orleans big man has been his team’s most consistent performer so far against the Western Conference’s top team.

Valanciunas was elite on the boards in Game 1, with nine of his 20 rebounds being of the offensive variety. Those extra possessions added up, with the Pelicans attempting 11 more shots than the Thunder and outscoring them by a 24-11 margin in second-chance points. However, Oklahoma City was a plus-6 in points in the paint (42-36). Going back to Valanciunas, Zion Williamson’s hamstring injury protects his minutes, as there were multiple occasions during the regular season in which JV’s role was diminished in favor of a Zion/Larry Nance Jr. tandem. Nance played 19 minutes on Sunday, finishing with eight points, eight rebounds, and one steal. Expect a similar split regarding playing time in Game 2 on Wednesday.

There have been times this season when the Pelicans used Zion Williamson at the five, relegating Valanciunas to the bench. With the Pelicans’ best player out with a hamstring injury, JV’s minutes appear to be more secure. However, Friday’s matchup had much to do with that, as he logged 27 minutes against fellow Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis. Valanciunas recorded a solid double-double with a few assists and blocks, and this is the level of production the Pelicans will need from him with Williamson out. However, Larry Nance Jr. could figure more prominently in the first-round series against Oklahoma City due to the Thunder’s lack of a bruiser in the middle. Nance played 21 minutes on Friday, finishing with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Nance Jr. has averaged 23.3 minutes across his last 12 games, and his vacated minutes should go to Jonas Valanciunas and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

Performances like this are what Williamson is capable of. Back in the lineup after sitting out Friday’s loss to the Spurs with a finger injury, he was highly impactful on both ends of the floor in Phoenix. While the four turnovers weren’t great, the overall production made up for that issue. Larry Nance Jr. was also productive as a playmaker for the Pelicans, who dished out seven assists to go along with nine points, eight rebounds, three steals, and one blocked shot in 31 minutes. Due to the play of Nance and Williamson, starting center Jonas Valanciunas only played four minutes. With JV set to be a free agent in the summer, Nance could have added fantasy value in 2024-25.

Valanciunas’ minutes have suffered on nights when the Pelicans have gone with a heavy dose of Zion Williamson at the center position. But he wasn’t available on Friday, which protected JV’s minutes, and the veteran center flourished. Valanciunas’ 26 points are the most he’s scored in a game since December 15, when he dropped 29 on the Hornets. While he’s still rostered in 77% of Yahoo leagues, his fantasy value has suffered recently. If Williamson remains out for Sunday’s game against the Suns, Valanciunas will have additional value.

Fantasy managers who have Valanciunas rostered are not in a good place following Tuesday’s game. He only played 11 minutes (all in the first half), the fewest in a game for the veteran center since February 28 against the Pacers. Following the game, Pelicans coach Willie Green said the team needed more speed on the court, resulting in additional minutes for Larry Nance Jr. and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Nance played 32 minutes off the bench, recording a line of four points, two rebounds, and one steal. Valanciunas has played fewer than 20 minutes in eight games in March. His status as a starter makes it challenging to drop him outright, but JV may not be worth slotting into lineups that lock at the beginning of the week.

Nance Jr. has averaged 25.3 minutes per game across his last four outings, so his available playing time should be divided among Jonas Valanciunas and Cody Zeller. Valanciunas should be the biggest beneficiary of Nance Jr.'s absence, and Zeller is nothing more than a desperation, deep-league streamer.