Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas has no structural damage in his foot, but he won't play in the remaining preseason games, according to David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Valanciunas has been dealing with foot soreness. The Grizzlies don't appear to be worried.
There are no structural issues with Jonas Valanciunas’ foot, according to a team source. But he won’t play in the remaining preseason games as the team opts to rest him leading in to opening night.
— David Cobb (@DavidWCobb) October 12, 2019
Valanciunas played a lot of minutes for the Lithuanian National Team at the FIBA tournament this summer, so the Grizzlies will be taking it easy on him while the games are meaningless.
Memphis signed Valanciunas to a three-year contract worth $45 million this offseason. The Grizzlies acquired Valanciunas from the Toronto Raptors last season in the Marc Gasol trade. He averaged 19.9 points and 10.7 rebounds in 19 games with Memphis while shooting 54.5 percent from the field, 27.8 percent from beyond the arc and 76.9 percent from the free-throw line.
With both Mike Conley and Gasol gone, the Grizzlies are officially ushering in a new era, led by rookie point guard Ja Morant and second-year big man Jaren Jackson Jr. Valanciunas is a solid veteran to have in the locker room. The 27-year-old is essentially a walking double-double and can help mentor Jackson.
The Grizzlies likely won’t compete for a playoff spot in 2019-20. This upcoming season is all about developing Morant, Jackson, combo guard Dillon Brooks and the rest of the youngsters in Memphis.
Valanciunas’ patience is going to be tested a lot during the next few seasons.
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