Jonas Valanciunas has been producing fairly consistent for the Toronto Raptors over the last four years, but that trend might soon have an effect for worse on the part of the seven-footer.
The potential is there for Valanciunas, but his numbers have got to improve and it isn’t helping that his minutes are on a bit of a downward spiral since logging 28.2 per game in the 2013-2014 season.
It must be disappointing for the young Lithuanian and it appears to be even more stressful for his countryman and former NBA veteran Sarunas Marciulionis, who went as far as blasting Kyle Lowry for his alleged inability to play the point.
Some harsh words on Kyle Lowry from NBA Hall of Famer Sarunas Marciulionis who defends Jonas Valanciunas pic.twitter.com/4XOU320QXE
— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) June 2, 2017




This season, Valanciunas’ per 36 minutes numbers were actually at an All-Star level with 16.7 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks. The former Golden State Warriors scorer, Marciulionis, might be onto something in terms of his guy’s talent, but picking apart Lowry seems to be ill-advised.
Toronto’s All-Star point guard averaged seven assists per ballgame in the regular season and his presence should naturally be beneficial to Valanciunas’ cause.
The Lithuanians are known to be very passionate about their basketball, which should explain how fiery they could get in support of their own.