Kings vs. Blazers: Addition of Jonas Valanciunas, NBA trade deadline and 3 things to watch
More help could be on the way as the Kings prepare to play the Portland Trail Blazers on the second night of a back-to-back Thursday at Moda Center.
The Kings suffered a 130-111 loss to the Orlando Magic in Zach LaVine’s debut Wednesday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. They acquired backup center Jonas Valanciunas in a trade with the Washington Wizards that was officially announced before Wednesday’s game.
A league source told The Sacramento Bee that Valanciunas will be available for Thursday’s game against the Blazers.
The Kings (25-25) fell from eighth to ninth in the Western Conference playoff race following the loss to Orlando. They are three games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 6 seed.
The Blazers (22-29) are coming off a 112-89 victory over the Indiana Pacers. They have won five in a row and nine of their last 10.
Sacramento is 4-5 in back-to-back situations this season.
Here are three things to watch in Thursday’s game.
Who’s hot for Portland?
The Blazers went 13-28 to start the season, but they have looked like a different team over the past 10 games.
During this stretch, Deandre Ayton is averaging 19.6 points and 12.3 rebounds while shooting 59.8% from the field. Anfernee Simons is averaging 18.9 points while shooting 40% from 3-point range. Deni Avdija is averaging 17.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists
Jerami Grant (14.9 ppg), Shaedon Sharpe (14.7 ppg), Scoot Henderson (14.5 ppg) and Toumani Camara (12.7 ppg) are also averaging double figures over the past 10 games.
Addition of Valanciunas
The Kings traded the newly acquired Sidy Cissoko and two-second round draft picks to the Wizards for Valanciunas, a 6-foot-11, 265-pound center.
Valanciunas will serve as the primary backup to Lithuanian countryman Domantas Sabonis, providing much needed size and depth. Valanciunas, 32, is averaging 11.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in his 13th NBA season. He has appeared in 49 games this season, serving primarily as a backup after starting 82 games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season.
Get LaVine going
LaVine is shooting career highs of 51.1% from the field and 44.6% from 3-point range, but he wasn’t that efficient in his debut against Orlando. LaVine scored 13 points on 4-of-13 shooting while going 0 of 4 from 3-point range.
Interim Kings coach Doug Christie said integrating LaVine into the lineup will be a process at both ends of the floor. Christie said LaVine will also have to adjust to Sacramento’s pace and tempo. LaVine had not played since Jan. 27 after missing his last two games with the Bulls due to the birth of his third child.
Kings at Trail Blazers
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Moda Center
TV: NBC Sports California
Radio: Sactown Sports 1140
Odds: Blazers -1.5
Over/under: 229.5
Injury report
Kings: OUT — Colby Jones (trade pending); Alex Len (trade pending).
Blazers: OUT — Matisse Thybulle (ankle).
This story was originally published February 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
