2011 Draft Prospect: Jonas Valanciunas

[Bruno]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_M7_yPVHRcao/TA6u4-n1LbI/AAAAAAAADD4/r3mdL64E35A/s1600/jonas-valanciunas-lietuvos.jpg
Height: 6-11
Weight: 240 lbs
Birthday: 05/06/1992
Team: Rytas
Country: Lithuania

DraftExpress (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jonas-Valanciunas-5622/)
nbadraft (http://www.nbadraft.net/players/jonas-valanciunas)

[ace3g]

chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Valanciunas update: Sources say buyout agreement close, however, buyout won't allow Valanciunas to play in NBA next season.

chadfordinsider Chad Ford
If Valanciunas can't play in NBA next year, he'll drop. Cavs won't take him at 4. Still I doubt he slips past the Rockets at 14.

[mountainballer]

this kid might be the only player in this draft outside Irving, who has real star potential. event with buy out issues (word is this could be solved till draft night), he won't drop till 14. btw. I don't buy this Cavs will pass report. they get Irving at 1, IMO they will wait till 2012 or 2013 till Valanciunas comes over and end up with the two best players in the draft.

[baseline bum]

this kid might be the only player in this draft outside Irving, who has real star potential. event with buy out issues (word is this could be solved till draft night), he won't drop till 14. btw. I don't buy this Cavs will pass report. they get Irving at 1, IMO they will wait till 2012 or 2013 till Valanciunas comes over and end up with the two best players in the draft.

You sure? They gotta win the title before LeBron!

[5in10]

Think we could make a move on this kid? Who cares if we have to wait, it gives us a future.

[TheProfessor]

Givony tweeted his floor is the 10th pick to Milwaukee, and I don't see the Spurs giving up enough to get higher than that.

[benefactor]

-Jonas Valanciunas is an extremely intriguing prospect at 18-years old, but one of the reasons scouts like him so much is how efficient he was in the role he played for Rytas this season. In many ways, he's a clean slate, with some good habits that could serve him well in his development.

The young center played with a proficiency that belied his age, ranking amongst the top players in this group of bigmen in a number of different categories, including overall points per-possession (1.178, #1). Though it is important to note that he posted that mark in fairly small role (7.9 Pos/G), it ranks him well ahead of every prospect in this study, and 7th overall amongst all players in Europe.

Keep reading....

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Situational-Statistics-the-2011-Big-Men-Crop-3761/#ixzz1PxSkWhkS
http://www.draftexpress.com

[DPG21920]

Eh, I don't want the Spurs to give up anything of value for this. While he may be solid and a very good prospect, I don't see him as anything close to an all-star.

[TheProfessor]

Givony tweeted his floor is the 10th pick to Milwaukee, and I don't see the Spurs giving up enough to get higher than that.
Well, looks like I'm wrong :lol

[Spurtacus]

If we trade Parker to draft this guy then the whole team should be blown up. I dont question his talent but he wont come in and immediately help duncan and ginobili.

[SenorSpur]

I heard a statement from Chad Ford, on today with Colin Cowherd. He claims that he's just learned this kid will not be able to transition to the NBA for the upcoming season. He will remain with his European team for at least the next season.

[k_nguyen93]

Been reported for days. He was guaranteed top 6 before but might drop now. Sounds like Cavs will still nab him at 4 though since they're going for another lottery pick.

[TDMVPDPOY]

why draft this guy, when we have the englishmen waiting to come over...

[DesignatedT]

the next tim duncan :lol

[TDMVPDPOY]

lol if his SITUATION becomes another javtokas :(

[TheProfessor]

lol if his SITUATION becomes another javtokas :(
This is nothing like Javtokas. He's expressed a desire to come over, and at most he would be out a single season, a season that might get wiped out anyway.

[baseline bum]

lol if his SITUATION becomes another javtokas :(

Didn't Javtokas have a horrible motorcycle accident or something that ended his chances of playing in the NBA?

[5in10]

Will the new CBa affect they amount that can be used to buy him out? Or is that not even the proble
?

[yavozerb]

30 pts, 15 rbs, and 4 blocks in a 105-103 loss today against team USA..

[admiralsnackbar]

fify

Even the z team shouldn't get out-rebounded like that. Sick numbers.

[Bruno]

Valanciunas is a hack of a prospect. I still don't get why Cleveland didn't pick him at 4.

[mountainballer]

yeah. they will regret this. IMO at the end of the day Valanciunas will be the 2nd best player from this draft, so Cavs could have got the 2 best players. (like Blazers in 2006, when they somehow landed Aldridge and Roy)

edit: it's even more head scratching that they picked Thompson over Valanciuns considering that the 2012 draft will be stacked with similar players like Thompson (just better, especially Davis) but likely no premium 7 footer and Cavs will pick top 5 in 2012 as well.

[Darkwaters]

yeah. they will regret this. IMO at the end of the day Valanciunas will be the 2nd best player from this draft, so Cavs could have got the 2 best players. (like Blazers in 2006, when they somehow landed Aldridge and Roy)

edit: it's even more head scratching that they picked Thompson over Valanciuns considering that the 2012 draft will be stacked with similar players like Thompson (just better, especially Davis) but likely no premium 7 footer and Cavs will pick top 5 in 2012 as well.

It's all about the here and now. What have you done for me lately.

GM's don't keep there jobs for drafting good stash away players. They keep their jobs for drafting performers. By the time Valanciunas came in it might have been good night gracie already for the old regime.

[DesignatedT]

This guy will be a player. Fact that he can't come over for a year doesn't really seem that bad with the lockout looming anyway.

[jesterbobman]

We know why the Cavs didn't take him. It's an idiotic decision, and seems very shortsighted considering the need for a long term rebuild and the incoming talent in future drafts, but we know why.

[elemento]

The Cavs will regret not drafting Jonas.

[sinok]

The guy is totally dominating the u19 worlds. Best scorer, rebounder, blocker and 2nd in field goals percentage...

Lock for the u19 worlds MVP.

The future looks bright for him...

[mountainballer]

Lithuania won the U19 world championships.
finals: 85-67 over Serbia
Valanciunas totally dominated serbia, 36 points (13-18 FG), 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and was honored MVP.
I wonder if some people in the Cavs FO are getting more and more nervous every day. I'm pretty sure the Raptors will try hard to find a solution to bring him over this season. (whenever the season starts)

[Bruno]

Cavs have turned Hickson and Valanciunas into Thompson, Casspi and a protected first round pick. :lmao

[TimmehC]

cavs have turned hickson and valanciunas into thompson, casspi and a protected first round pick. :lmao

fify.

[Bill_Brasky]

Just watched this guy's highlights and read about what he did in the U19......how could you pass on him...

[ChuckD]

Just watched this guy's highlights and read about what he did in the U19......how could you pass on him...

Because the U19s took place weeks after the draft, and not before?