While Valanciunas has largely been available during his time in New Orleans and remains impactful as a scorer and rebounder, the defense has left a lot to be desired. For that reason, he was the subject of offseason trade rumors, with the Pelicans being linked with multiple players, most notably Jarrett Allen. But no move has been made, which puts Valanciunas on track to retain his starting job when training camp begins. That said, this is the final season of JV’s current contract, so look for the rumors to continue. Valanciunas provided 10th-round value in 9-cat formats last season, but his numbers are likely to take a hit due to the expected return of Zion Williamson.
