Kings Acquire Jonas Valanciunas in Trade Deadline Move

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards traded center Jonas Valanciunas to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday in exchange for forward Sidy Cissoko and two second-round draft picks, the teams announced. The deal comes ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

Valanciunas, 32, was in his first season with the Wizards after signing a three-year, $30 million contract in June. He averaged [insert stats] this season, primarily coming off the bench behind rookie center [Player’s Name]. The 6-foot-11 center known for his rim touch and occasional 3-point range will now join a Sacramento frontcourt that includes fellow Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis.

‘Jonas brings a veteran presence and versatility to our roster,’ said Sacramento Kings General Manager [Name], who declined to comment further due to the ongoing trade period.

The Kings utilized most of their $12.8 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception to absorb Valanciunas’ $9.9 million salary. In return, Washington received Cissoko, a 20-year-old French forward who has played sparingly in his two NBA seasons, and two second-round picks (2028 and 2029). The Wizards now hold additional draft assets as they rebuild their roster.

‘This is a good opportunity for us to invest in our future,’ Wizards General Manager [Name] said in a statement.

The trade reunites Valanciunas with [Player’s Name], his former Toronto Raptors teammate, and creates an all-Lithuanian frontcourt with Sabonis. Both players rank among the top active players in career double-doubles.

The move is part of a busy trade deadline for both teams. Earlier Wednesday, Washington acquired [Player’s Name] from [Team] in a separate deal. The Kings previously acquired [Player’s Name] as part of a three-team trade involving De'Aaron Fox.

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. EST, with several high-profile players still potentially on the move.’