Bruiser in the Big Easy: Valanciunas is huge for the New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are fortunate enough to boast one of the NBA’s best trios with Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and CJ McCollum. However, perhaps it should be considered a big four with center Jonas Valanciunas frequently putting up huge numbers. Last season, Valanciunas put together a terrific season, averaging 17.8 points and 11.4 rebounds while shooting 36.4% from three.

This season, he’s continued to put up big numbers, averaging 16 points and 11.5 rebounds, and can make teams pay for focusing on Ingram, Williamson, and McCollum. Offensively, Valanciunas gives the Pelicans a versatile weapon that can score in several different ways. He can score in the post by utilizing his size and gaining deep position before hitting a turnaround jumper.

That blend of strength and finesse provides the team with another option that they can go to if shots aren’t falling or if he has a favorable matchup.

Jonas Valanciunas is the perfect front-court mate for Zion Williamson on the New Orleans Pelicans.

Now that he’s paired with Williamson in the front court, the latter could happen more often. Williamson, despite being just 6’6, is as strong as an ox and can overpower most wings, often requiring a power forward plus help to try and contain him or a center to guard him. That means that Valanciunas should be guarded by the least physical of the opposing teams’ big men, and that’s a mismatch in and of itself.

With Williamson being checked by some opposing fives, it sets up Valanciunas as more of a post-threat while also allowing him to feast on the glass. He’s a strong rebounder, particularly on the offensive end, and it’s an undervalued skill to have. Teams often focus on getting back rather than crashing the offensive glass, but he has the Pelicans covered.

Valanciunas is currently averaging 4.5 offensive rebounds per game, and those extra possessions, coupled with Williamson’s incredible efficiency, are a potent combination that allows the Pelicans to get plenty of high-percentage shots at the rim. Contrast that with McCollum and Ingram, who are high-volume, high-percentage 3-point shooters, and the Pelicans have a perfect blend of inside and outside scoring.

Better yet, Valanciunas has also developed into a surprisingly good 3-point shooter after rarely taking them in each of his first five seasons.

Valanciunas help the New Orleans Pelicans on both sides of the ball.

That helps the Pelicans’ spacing and makes it possible for Williamson and Valanciunas to share the floor and develop a strong two-man game. He is a capable passer, and the Pelicans can run high-low actions with him, with entry passes being thrown to Williamson, allowing him to isolate and attack a weak defender in the post.

Or he could set ball screens for Williamson, helping him gain separation and forcing Valanciunas’ defender to leave him open on the perimeter to ward off a drive to the basket. That, of course, leaves him open from the outside, making him a pick-and-pop threat. Those types of decisions can make the Pelicans nearly unguardable, and they currently rank second in offensive rating, with room to grow.

Defensively, Valanciunas does struggle to defend away from the basket, but he is solid at walling off the paint and forcing players to shoot over his massive arms. Doing so allows him to rack up blocks and alter shots. While he isn’t the sole reason for the New Orleans Pelicans’ defensive improvement (they currently rank 15th in defensive rating), his rim protection has definitely played a part.

Overall, the New Orleans Pelicans boast one of the best Big Threes in the NBA. However, Valanciunas’ play gives them a terrific fourth option that could help them make some noise this season.