Kings-Wizards Trade Grades: Jonas Valanciunas Moved To Sacramento

The Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards have agreed on a deal to send Jonas Valanciunas to the Kings in exchange for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Washington Wizards are trading Jonas Valanciunas to the Sacramento Kings for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2025

This is the second move for the Wizards on Wednesday after acquiring Khris Middleton, rookie AJ Johnson and draft capital from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Kyle Kuzma. It’s also the second deal of the trade deadline for the Kings, which sent All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Zach LaVine and draft capital in a three-team deal on Sunday.

The Power Of Friendship?

The Kings are hosting a reunion. Valanciunas will be reunited with Domantas Sabonis, his longtime Lithuanian national team buddy, and DeMar DeRozan, whom he played alongside on the Toronto Raptors for six seasons. DeRozan and the newly acquired LaVine also played in Chicago for three seasons and have already expressed their excitement about playing together again.

How much will that power materialize on the basketball court?

On paper, a LaVine-DeRozan-Sabonis-Valanciunas quartet alongside the Kings’ core players of Malik Monk, Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis is a lot of offensive firepower. The Kings now have tons of size in their frontcourt and can throw out double-big lineups featuring both Sabonis and Valanciunas, who already have developed chemistry together.

Jonas Valančiūnas will add another effective interior scoring presence to a Sacramento team that rarely scores at the hoop (29th in rim frequency, per @cleantheglass)

JV’s post scoring, offensive rebounding and roll finishing will all be valuable mixups for the Kings’ offense pic.twitter.com/VxDggQ4qac

— Sportscasting NBA (@SportcastingNBA) February 5, 2025

Valanciunas is still a useful post scorer and pick-and-roll threat who rebounds the ball at a high level. Despite having Sabonis, who leads the league in rebounds, the Kings are among the middle of the pack in rebounding this season, so adding Valanciunas should give them a boost on that front. He should also help buoy Sacramento whenever Sabonis rests.

The Kings struggle immensely without Domantas Sabonis on the floor, their net rating decreasing by over 10 points per 100 possessions when he sits (per PBPstats).

JV isn’t a world-beater, but he’s far more competent on both ends at center than Alex Len or Trey Lyles were. pic.twitter.com/bCnDPVZi5f

— Sportscasting NBA (@SportcastingNBA) February 5, 2025

Grading The Deal

Sacramento Kings: B

The Kings didn’t give up much to acquire Valaciunas and just rerouted Cissoko — who they acquired in the Fox deal — to get this done and add a win-now player. The on-court fit will determine how good this trade ends up, particularly contingent on how tenable it is for Sabonis and Valanciunas to share the floor defensively whenever Sacramento wants to size up. Nevertheless, the Kings got a good big man at a low cost who can back up Sabonis and, possibly, play alongside him.

Washington Wizards: B+ 

The Wizards have been doing most of their work on the margins as they maintain their rebuilding ways, but it’s still good work. Taking a flyer on Cissoko and getting back two second-round picks after signing Valanciunas this offseason with the intent of trading him is exactly the type of deal expected from them at this deadline.