3. Jonas Valanciunas
During their first-round playoff bout against New Orleans, the Thunder saw first-hand what a guy like Jonas Valanciunas can provide to a team while serving as a primary big.
Though the Pelicans ended up getting swept, the veteran center was far from a major factor in their demise. Frankly, he was one of the main reasons why the majority of games proved to be rather close between the two ball clubs during the quarterfinals.
Jonas Valanciunas vs Oklahoma City Thunder
— A Walking Highlight (@11AWH) April 13, 2023
16 PTS
18 REB
3 AST
7/9 FG#Pelicans L.#NBAPlayoffs #NBA pic.twitter.com/uBJc2ysg8p
Measuring in at 6-foot-11, 265 pounds, Valanciunas boasts a physically dominant build that allows him to gobble up boards (18.3 per 100 possessions for his career) and protect the paint at an enviable level, while his ability to space the floor (sports a career three-point shooting clip of roughly 35 percent) makes him a versatile scoring threat.
Over the last five seasons, the 32-year-old has posted impressive averages of 15.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and just shy of a block on 56.4 percent shooting from the floor, while, during his postseason excursion against Oklahoma City, he wound up posting 14.5 points and 11.0 rebounds on 52.4 percent shooting per game.
Coming off a contract where he earned $15 million in 2023-24, it should be expected that Valanciunas will be eyeing a rather lucrative payday with his new deal.
However, with their high-end spending power, the Thunder could easily find a way to make the money work should they feel his services are worthy of a signing.