Midseason Grades For The Toronto Raptors

Jonas Valanciunas

Grade: B-
Stats: 12 points, 9.9 rebounds per game. 53.3 FG%

Another year, same Jonas Valanciunas. While he’s still a talented offensive player, his fit with this team remains questionable. He’s a strong offensive rebounder that finishes well in the post, as well as a fantastic pick and roll threat.

His scoring and efficiency has declined this season, despite receiving more playing time.

There has been little to no growth for Valancinuas in the areas he needed to improve in to fit in better with this team. His efficiency in the post would be far more dangerous if he were capable of reading double teams and finding the open man.

However he still averages more than two turnovers to every assist he records. His poor foot-speed can take away from the fact that he’s a good screener, once he gets into position. Overall he’s still an effective offensive player.

But your offensive game gets put under the microscope when you are a complete liability defensively.

The Raptors defense gives up 7.3 points per 100 possessions fewer without Valanciunas on the court. While this number may be inflated by playing with a rookie in Pascal Siakam, they also fall in line with the rest of his career.

Valanciunas has played 480 minutes this season with Siakam, and 543 without. So while the numbers are much better when he is paired with Patterson, it’s clear that he requires help to hide him defensively.

Offensive centers that don’t provide play-making or defense are becoming less prominent in today’s NBA. With the Raptors having an elite offense once again, it gets tough to justify throwing the ball into the post, just to watch Jonas.

Perhaps he would be better suited in a reserve role like Enes Kanter, a player with similar strengths and weaknesses.