With 6 wins for 30 losses, the Wizards are currently in last place in the NBA. For the young players in the squad, it is a learning phase but for Jonas Valanciunaswho has very often participated in the playoffs, notably reaching the conference final in 2016, it is not easy to live with.
“It’s very hard to lose. It really hurts” he explains to BasketNews. “We want to prevent it from doing anything, from hurting anymore. We don't want it to become a habit. When you play and you lose and you just think, 'Okay, let's just think about the next game.' I don't want this, I still want it to hurt. »
And as a result, this season is particularly painful for the 32-year-old veteran…
An easily exchangeable contract
“It has to remain a motivation” he continues like this. “But it’s a hard season, very hard…”
However, the former Raptors, Pelicans and Grizzlies surely knew what he was getting into by signing with the Wizards, while the Lakers and the Knicks were courting him last offseason.
Except that in Los Angeles or New York, he would probably only have been entitled to a very small contract, while he was still able to obtain more than 30 million dollars over three years in Washington. Even if the very structure of its lease (decreasing third year and not guaranteed, etc.) makes it an ideal candidate for an exchange.
“Everything is in the hands of God… and the GM” he smiled. “Of what they will see, of what they will propose. That's the job of the agents. My job is on the pitch: boost the energy of the guys on the bench and make them work hard. The job of agents, GMs and presidents is off the field. I let them handle all that.”
| Jonas Valanciunas | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | TOR | 62 | 24 | 55.6 | 0.0 | 78.9 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 8.9 |
| 2013-14 | TOR | 81 | 28 | 53.1 | 0.0 | 76.2 | 2.8 | 6.0 | 8.8 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 11.3 |
| 2014-15 | TOR | 80 | 26 | 57.2 | 0.0 | 78.6 | 2.7 | 6.0 | 8.7 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 12.0 |
| 2015-16 | TOR | 60 | 26 | 56.5 | 0.0 | 76.1 | 3.1 | 6.0 | 9.1 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 12.8 |
| 2016-17 | TOR | 80 | 26 | 55.7 | 50.0 | 81.1 | 2.8 | 6.7 | 9.5 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 12.0 |
| 2017-18 | TOR | 77 | 22 | 56.8 | 40.5 | 80.6 | 2.4 | 6.2 | 8.6 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 12.7 |
| 2018-19 * | All Teams | 49 | 22 | 55.9 | 29.2 | 79.5 | 2.2 | 6.4 | 8.6 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 15.6 |
| 2018-19 * | TOR | 30 | 19 | 57.5 | 30.0 | 81.9 | 1.8 | 5.4 | 7.2 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 12.8 |
| 2018-19 * | M.E.M. | 19 | 28 | 54.5 | 27.8 | 76.9 | 2.7 | 7.9 | 10.7 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 19.9 |
| 2019-20 | M.E.M. | 70 | 26 | 58.5 | 35.2 | 74.0 | 3.0 | 8.2 | 11.3 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 14.9 |
| 2020-21 | M.E.M. | 62 | 28 | 59.2 | 36.8 | 77.3 | 4.1 | 8.4 | 12.5 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 17.1 |
| 2021-22 | NOP | 74 | 30 | 54.4 | 36.1 | 82.0 | 3.1 | 8.3 | 11.4 | 2.6 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 17.8 |
| 2022-23 | NOP | 79 | 25 | 54.7 | 34.9 | 82.6 | 2.8 | 7.3 | 10.2 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 14.1 |
| 2023-24 | NOP | 82 | 24 | 55.9 | 30.8 | 78.5 | 2.3 | 6.5 | 8.8 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 12.2 |
| 2024-25 | W.A.S. | 36 | 20 | 54.9 | 19.0 | 90.8 | 2.5 | 5.6 | 8.1 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 11.8 |
| Total | 892 | 26 | 56.0 | 34.3 | 79.2 | 2.8 | 6.7 | 9.4 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 13.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
