The Washington Wizards have agreed to trade veteran center Jonas Valančiūnas to the Sacramento Kings for forward Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks, The Stein Line and ESPN report.
Valančiūnas signed a three-year, $30.3 million contract with the Wizards in July. Cissoko is a second-year forward who’s averaged 3.2 minutes per game in 17 appearances this season.
Valančiūnas, 32, averaged 11.5 points (on 54.7% shooting from the field), 8.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 20.1 minutes per game over 49 appearances for the Wizards this season.
Washington, which selected center Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick in this past June’s draft, owns the worst record in the NBA (8-41). Valančiūnas has started just eight games this season as a backup to Sarr.
Sarr has averaged 11.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 39.7% from the field in 41 games, all of them starts. He’s been sidelined with an ankle injury since Jan. 29.
Valančiūnas, one of the most affordable impact centers on the trade market, has averaged 18.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per 36 minutes in his 13-year career. Midway through his career Valančiūnas stretched his shooting range to the 3-point line, where he has shot a below-average 34.4% on 688 career attempts.
As a rim protector, Valančiūnas leaves plenty to be desired. He challenges 3.9 attempts per game at the rim, where opponents are shooting 70.9% against him — almost 5% better than their season averages.
Valančiūnas projects as a valuable backup in Sacramento, where the Kings employ three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis as their starting center.
