Raptors' Ujiri: We're not trying to give Valanciunas away

The Toronto Raptors didn't deny shopping starting center Jonas Valanciunas, but they're not nearly as desperate as some reports suggest.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri addressed the rumors around Valanciunas on Tuesday at a press conference, and while he did confirm the 25-year-old was involved in trade talks, it wasn't a salary-dump situation.

"JV, we talked about this, I talked about this with his agent in a couple of scenarios on the direction of the way the team will go," Ujiri said, according to TSN's Josh Lewenberg.

"We're very comfortable with JV. We're not trying to give JV away. I'll be transparent, there were some scenarios where if we're trying to create space and do some other things in some of the other scenarios we had that maybe we make a move, but with this team now we're very comfortable."

Reports suggest, however, that the Raptors did discuss Valanciunas both at the trade deadline and leading up to the draft. The Lithuanian pivot was offered to at least seven teams, but no trade was reached.

Toronto may have been motivated to move Valanciunas in an effort to duck the luxury tax, as Ujiri hinted at. The center is owed nearly $50 million over the next three seasons, but the Raptors found another way around this problem by shedding DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph in two separate trades.

But much of this also speaks to the lack of improvement on the part of Valanciunas, who was once seen as a franchise cornerstone. The 7-footer is a quality starter who can score efficiently on the block, finish reliably around the hoop, dominate the glass, and remain durable. However, he also continues to struggle in pick-and-roll defense, lacks foot speed, doesn't stretch the floor, and is a poor passer.

The shift in the modern game toward pace and perimeter play has also left Valanciunas, and other plodding bigs of his ilk, seemingly without a role.

Valanciunas averaged 12 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 55.7 percent from the field and 81.1 percent from the free-throw line in 80 appearances last season.