Report: Kings acquire C Jonas Valanciunas from Wizards

Another reunion in Sactown?

The Sacramento Kings are reportedly acquiring centre Jonas Valanciunas from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Wednesday.

Valanciunas will be reunited with former Toronto Raptors teammate DeMar DeRozan. The duo spent six seasons together during the team’s “We The North” era before the latter was dealt to San Antonio in the summer of 2018. He’ll also be pairing up with fellow countryman Domantas Sabonis, both from Lithuania.

The big man is averaging 11.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in just over 20 minutes of action per game through 49 appearances this season. Valanciunas joined Washington in the summer, departing from New Orleans, after agreeing to a sign-and-trade deal worth $30 million over three years.

Valanciunas holds career averages of 13.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 56 and 34.4 per cent shooting from the field and distance through 905 games. He was originally drafted fifth overall in 2011 by the Raptors before getting dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies midway through 2018-19 in a trade that landed Marc Gasol in Toronto. The 32-year-old would re-sign with Memphis that off-season and spend two years with the team before getting sent to New Orleans in 2021 as part of a three-team deal and ultimately signing with Washington in the summer of 2024.

According to NBA insider Jeff Fischer, Valanciunas was a sought-after target at this year’s deadline — both for his production and team-friendly annual salary of $10 million — linked to pursuits by the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns.

He now joins a Kings team that just dealt away All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox earlier in the week, sending him to the Spurs in a three-team deal that netted them Bulls guard Zach LaVine and a boatload of picks.

LaVine is also familiar with DeRozan as the two were teammates three months ago in Chicago. The pair were together from 2021-2024 in the Windy City.

Meanwhile, Sidy Cissoko gets set to join his third team in as many days. The sophomore was acquired by Sacramento in the Fox deal but is now headed to Washington.