What would a Jonas Valančiūnas trade look like for the Washington Wizards?

WASHINGTON — Jonas Valančiūnas has delivered everything the Washington Wizards have asked for since unexpectedly signing with the team in July.

As the Feb. 6 trade deadline approaches, however, the team will have to decide whether to keep his size, experience and offensive firepower, or use him to bring in future assets that can help speed Washington’s rebuild.

League sources said Athletics The Wizards will consider dealing the 32-year-old center before the trade deadline if the right deal comes along. But finding a trade that serves the team’s long-term goals will be a challenge.

Washington’s front office would have a draft pick (or picks) that would noticeably move the team’s rebuild forward — not, say, late second-round picks. But it will be hard to find a suitor, at least before the usual trade-talk warm-up in the last week or so before the deadline, who would be willing to go much higher.

Any group of teams that would have interest in Valančiūnas would almost certainly be limited to those in win-now mode. Because these suitors would be looking to add depth rather than subtract quality depth, it would be highly unlikely that any trade partner would be willing to give up a top-seven rotation player.

The best way to conceptualize the kind of returns the guides want is with a sliding scale.

If, for example, a team wanted to send Washington a highly paid player on a multi-year contract — a contract that would hamper the team’s future salary flexibility — Washington would almost certainly seek a first-round pick.

The Wizards’ 2023 trade in which they sent Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, a second-round pick in 2027 and a protected first-round pick in 2030 could serve as a guide for any Valančiūnas deal, where Wizards take back multi-year contract. The first-round pick coming in via Golden State is protected 1 through 20; if a first-round pick is not conveyed in 2030, the Wizards would receive the Warriors’ second-round pick in 2030.

If an incoming contract in a Valančiūnas deal wouldn’t detract from the Wizards’ long-term salary flexibility, then more than an early second-round pick might do the trick. A league source, whose team is not currently involved with the Wizards in discussions about Valančiūnas, believes two second-rounders will end up being the maximum Washington can get for him.

The Wizards signed Valančiūnas to a three-year, $30.3 million contract in July. The modest investment by modern NBA standards “was worth a shot,” a league source said. And Valančiūnas’ salary for the final season of the deal, 2026-27, is non-guaranteed.

Wizards officials said they signed Valančiūnas to provide a first-class veteran example to the team’s young players, a group that includes rookies Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George and second-year guard-forward Bilal Coulibaly. Team officials also wanted Valančiūnas to match up with the league’s most physical centers and, in the process, protect Sarr — whose body is still filling out — from bruising. And team managers also wanted Valančiūnas’ scoring and rebounding to help the young core.

Valančiūnas has delivered all that. In a career-low 19.9 minutes per game into Monday, he was averaging 11.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. match. According to Cleaning the Glass, an advanced analytics database that omits statistics compiled in garbage time, Valančiūnas also ranks among the league’s most efficient big men in defensive rebounding percentage, offensive rebounding percentage and assist percentage.

In December, Valančiūnas showed his worth in a head-to-head matchup with the league’s best player, Nikola Jokić. The Joker was at his absolute best, scoring a career-high 56 points along with 16 rebounds and eight assists. So it’s not like Valančiūnas or any of Washington’s other big men slowed him down.

But Valančiūnas held his ground, with 20 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and five assists, and the Wizards snapped their franchise-record-tying 16-game losing streak in a shock victory over the 2023 NBA champions.

“I had some really good wrestling moves down there with Jonas,” Jokić said with a laugh afterward. “I think Jonas breaks, it’s always interesting. I always talk to him normally and it’s always a little bit physical. I mean, it should be. We are big boys from Europe. We are a bit used to being in contact. I think that’s the way it should be. Good rivalry.”

Still, many league observers were surprised when the Wizards first signed Valančiūnas, believing the Wizards signed him to eventually trade up for the draft.

To be sure, Valančiūnas is limited. He obviously doesn’t stretch the floor (he was 5 of 23 from deep before Washington’s game Monday against Minnesota), and isn’t a guy who finishes above the rim or protects it on the other end.

But Washington’s depth at the big man spots behind Sarr would be thinned if Valančiūnas is traded. Marvin Bagley III sprained the MCL in his right knee on Dec. 23 and is expected to miss an extended stretch of games. The Wizards also have veteran Richaun Holmes available for spot minutes up front.

If Valančiūnas is frustrated that his playing time is a career low, he hasn’t shown it publicly.

When asked by Athletics whether it has been difficult to play more sparingly than he is used to, he replied in trademark self-deprecating fashion,

“It’s good for my body,” he said, laughing. “You always have to look at the positives, too, you know? It’s good for my body and I’m not tired. I’m ready to go. Whenever coach calls my number, I’m here to do whatever. I signed up for that.”

Valančiūnas knows trade rumors will swirl over the next few weeks.

How will he handle it?

“Turn off my phone,” he joked before turning serious. “Talk to my people, not outside people. People I know. To be honest, that’s part of the deal. You see what’s out there. You expect everything and you just do your job. That doesn’t change. Regardless what happens will happen.

“I just come to work every day. Every game I play 100 percent. That’s all I can do. That’s all I do. It’s over me. I have no control over it.”

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(Top photo of Jonas Valančiūnas and Precious Achiuwa: Reggie Hildred / Imagn Images)