CHICAGO – Perhaps J.B. Bickerstaff set the expectations bar a bit too low.
After waiting five days for Jonas Valanciunas’ immigration paperwork process to
finally clear after last week’s trade, Bickerstaff repeatedly tried to temper
expectations as he spoke with reporters during his pregame media session before
Tuesday’s game against the Spurs.
First, Valanciunas was making his Grizzlies debut after a prolonged delay once
he arrived from Toronto.
Secondly, the 26-year-old Lithuanian center was acquired as the key component in
the trade that sent Marc Gasol, the most decorated player in Grizzlies franchise
history, to the Raptors.
Thirdly – and perhaps most importantly – Valanciunas hadn’t played a game in two
months as he recovered from surgery to repair a thumb he dislocated on Dec. 12
against the Warriors.
“It’s going to take some time,” Bickerstaff cautioned moments before Valanciunas
was officially activated to return. “It’s not like we’re expecting him to go out
and be a 20(point)-10(rebound) guy right away. He’s got that type of talent and
ability. But we’ve got to be patient with him initially.”
Apparently, Valanciunas had other plans. Among the biggest takeaways from
Tuesday’s 108-107 loss to the Spurs was the massively encouraging performance
from the Grizzlies’ new big man. Valanciunas has significant shoes to fill as he
gets acclimated during the season’s stretch run, which continues Wednesday
against the Bulls in the Grizzlies’ final game before the weeklong All-Star
break.
But Valanciunas seamlessly stepped into a difficult role he made look rather
easy on his way to supplying the type of double-double Bickerstaff warned was
too soon to expect. Valanciunas came off the bench to shoot 9-for-11 from the
field for 23 points, 10 rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes. It would be
foolish to overstate a one-game sample size, but it’s fair to suggest that in
his first game with Memphis, Valanciunas provided a snapshot of promise and
potential that generates excitement.
On the surface, Valanciunas plays at the same size as Gasol and with the
familiar physicality of Zach Randolph. Lofty comparisons? Sure. But Valanciunas
isn’t the kind of guy to shy away from his new role. He was the interior anchor
of a lot of good Toronto teams that advanced deep in the playoffs during his
seven years in the league, and Valanciunas was the Raptors’ longest-tenured
player before last week’s trade.
Time will tell if Valanciunas is the long-term solution as a rugged, rebounding,
paint scoring enforcer to protect Jaren Jackson Jr. and allow the franchise’s
prized rookie to blossom at power forward. Valanciunas can either opt out of his
contract at the end of the season and test free agency or opt into the $17.6
million salary he’s guaranteed for next season and become a free agent in the
summer of 2020.
For now, the Grizzlies would opt for a few more performances like the one
Valanciunas bulldozed his way through Tuesday night. It probably won’t be long
before he’s in the starting lineup alongside Jackson.
“He’s a big help – great size, great strength,” Jackson said of Valanciunas, who
is listed at 7-feet, 265 pounds. “He uses his body efficiently. He’s mobile. He
knows how to play the game – you can see it out there, he flows right in with
us. No hesitation or anything, so it’s great to have him on the floor.”
Bickerstaff looks forward to the options the Grizzlies have at power forward and
center heading into the final 24 games, with Ivan Rabb and Joakim Noah regularly
in the rotation in addition to Valanciunas and Jackson.
“We’re open to making changes (but) we didn’t feel comfortable throwing Jonas
out into the fire right away,” Bickerstaff said. “For a guy who hasn’t played
since December, I think he did a heck of a job.”
Bruno Caboclo had a pretty good idea he might be sticking around for a while
once he was told to head to the airport late Tuesday night with the rest of his
teammates for the flight to Chicago.
The Grizzlies signed Caboclo to a multiyear contract on Wednesday that includes
the rest of this season and next season. The new deal came after the 6-9
forward’s second 10-day contract with the team expired after the loss to the
Spurs on Tuesday, when Caboclo finished with four points, four rebounds and
three blocks off the bench.
Caboclo has averaged 6.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 21 minutes over
10 games this season, and both the Grizzlies’ coaching staff and front office
have been intrigued by his size, length, defensive instincts and offensive
potential. A native of Brazil, Caboclo spent his first three seasons in the
Toronto Raptors’ development system after being drafted 20th overall in 2014,
but was signed last month by the Grizzlies from the G League.
“I’ve just tried to get on the court, stay calm and not make mistakes,” Caboclo
said. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve not worried about the 10-days. I just want to
go out there and do my best.”
The Grizzlies see Caboclo, 23, as part of a meshing and developing young core of
players that include Jackson (19), Rabb (21), Tyler Dorsey (22), Dillon Brooks
(22), Jevon Carter (23), Yuta Watanabe (24) and Kyle Anderson (25).
The Grizzlies play their final game before the All-Star break against the Bulls
on Wednesday, and it’ll be a reunion of sorts for two key members of the
rotation who have had a recent resurgence in Memphis.
Noah and swingman Justin Holiday return to face their former team for the first
time since they joined the Grizzlies. Both players are in their most productive
stretches of the season.
Through four February games, Noah is averaging 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds
while shooting 62.1 percent. In Saturday’s win over the Pelicans, Noah set his
season highs with 19 points and 14 rebounds. It was his most productive game off
the bench since 2008, which was his second NBA season with the Bulls. Noah went
on to become the 2014 NBA Defensive Player of the Year with Chicago.
Holiday, acquired in a trade from the Bulls last month, is averaging 14.4
points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 34.8 minutes over his last five games.
In that stretch, Holiday is shooting 42.9 percent from three-point range. At the
time he arrived in the trade, Holiday ranked in the top 10 among NBA players in
total made threes and steals on the season.
“It was a little tough making the adjustment to a new team, new players and
everything,” Holiday said of his initial struggles before finding his rhythm.
“But the confidence was always there. I’m a confident guy. It was just a matter
of getting to my spots and finding my shots. I always felt it would come
together.”
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Memphis
Grizzlies. All opinions expressed by Michael Wallace are solely his own and do
not reflect the opinions of the Memphis Grizzlies or its Basketball Operations
staff, owners, parent companies, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known
to the Memphis Grizzlies and he has no special access to information beyond the
access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the
media.
Media Content:
https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/grind-city-media/mikecheck-two-takeaways-encou
raging-night-against-spurs-and-look-ahead-wednesdays-matchup-bulls-190213
Media Keywords: NBA, Sports, Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Grizzlies
Media Thumbnail:
https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/sites/grizzlies/files/190213-mikecheck-jonas-valanc
iunas-spurs-1554×884.jpg
Taxonomy: MikeCheck, Grind City Media, Michael Wallace
Story Link:
https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/grind-city-media/mikecheck-two-takeaways-encou
raging-night-against-spurs-and-look-ahead-wednesdays-matchup-bulls-190213
