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Mark Jones: Raptors quietly hoping Valenciunas not in Olympics.Raps source "he needs to get into NBA mode in summer league.its a big adjustment for him" Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Summer League, Jonas Valanciunas 

Mark Jones: Raptors quietly hoping Valenciunas not in Olympics. Raps source "he needs to get into NBA mode in summer league.its a big adjustment for him" Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Summer League, Olympics, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas, Transactions 

It might make more sense for Toronto to make a trade for a variety of reasons. With Lithuanian centre Jonas Valanciunas — last year’s No. 5 pick — coming next season and Colangelo committed to an “accelerated” building process, adding another rookie might be a sideways step. “Jonas coming in is going to be one rookie to get on the floor, I know coach (Dwane Casey) likes Ed (Stefanski) and I but if we put two rookies out there and say play them and try to really work these guys in and develop them on a fast track, that’s probably a little bit counter to this acceleration idea that we want to really move forward,” Colangelo said Tuesday Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Jonas Valanciunas 

Stefanski, general manager Bryan Colangelo, head coach Dwane Casey and director of sports science Alex McKechnie went to Houston this weekend to watch Valanciunas, the fifth pick from last year’s draft, and small forward Linas Kleiza take part in Lithuania’s camp in advance of next week’s Olympic qualification tournament in Venezuela. “There could have been a foul called on every bounce of the ball. This kid didn’t back down once. That’s what I like about him most: He doesn’t back down against older men who are pushing and shoving and hitting him.” National Post

Toronto Raptors, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas, Transactions 

“I believe in the rookie year — I don’t know how many minutes [he’ll play], that’s up to coach Casey — but I believe they’ll see a guy that they’re going to put their arms around and get excited [about],” Stefanski said. “People in Toronto, from what I’ve seen so far, they want guys that are going to hustle. They want grinders. In hockey they call them muckers, or whatever they call them. National Post

Toronto Raptors, Ed Stefanski, Jonas Valanciunas, Transactions 

Details of Valanciunas' buyout for Lietuvos Rytas aren't solved yet. "I hope that everything will be okay - there's no conflict between us. I get a lot of positive attention from Raptors. People care about me. Right now they are here, they talk with me, show interest. That makes me think positive and I can't wait to test myself in the NBA. I had supper with Raptors representatives, we talked about things which were discussed before - only now we talked about all the details," said Valančiūnas, who also says that he feels very welcome. ATN.lt

Toronto Raptors, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas 

Valanciunas will be helped by other Lithuanian, Linas Kleiza, whom Jonas asked lots of questions about his future team. "On our way to supper with Raptors representatives I asked him a lot of questions. I was introduced to both - city and team. Will I be under Kleiza's wing? I hope so. At least he promised me that, so we will see if he keeps his promise." ATN.lt

Toronto Raptors, Linas Kleiza, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas 

Scott Howard-Cooper: Lithuania 63, Britain 61 in Houston. Valanciunas 12 points, 8 rebs, 3 blocks, 17 minutes. Freeland 10 points, 3 rebs, 5 fouls, 20 mins. Twitter

Great Britain, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas, Joel Freeland 

Ryan Wolstat: Raptors will be checking out Valanciunas and Lithuanian national team in Houston on Saturday Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Jonas Valanciunas 

He’s had teams willing to part with a higher pick, but the cost would be significant. “I have been offered a higher pick for a pretty significant asset, but I’m not prepared to part with that asset,” he said, refusing to name the asset but it’s not a stretch to think it’s 2011 first-rounder Jonas Valanciunas. Toronto Star

Toronto Raptors, Draft, Trade, Bryan Colangelo, Jonas Valanciunas 

If he wants to leave for the NBA, (Valanciunas) will have to pay a $2.4 million buyout. BasketNews.lt

Toronto Raptors, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas 

"Right now it is about the National Team, we are preparing here and do not even need to talk about it," Valanciunas told "Basketnews.lt. BasketNews.lt

Toronto Raptors, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas 

Jonas Valanciunas has started negotiations on the release agreement with his team in Lithuania, sources said, an important step in the 2011 lottery pick finally being able to join the Raptors. NBA.com

Toronto Raptors, Jonas Valanciunas, Transactions 

There is no timetable for Valanciunas to join the Raptors and end the uncertainty that started last June, when NBA teams became concerned about the absence of a buyout in his contract, creating the possibility he would have to play in Europe for multiple seasons. That never happened. Toronto took him fifth overall in an investment for the future and quickly, and thankfully, saw Valanciunas sign a new deal in Lithuania that allowed him to get out of the deal in the 2012 offseason. NBA.com

Toronto Raptors, Jonas Valanciunas, Transactions 

However, the main head-scratcher for the federation isn’t the two Montepaschi Siena players, but rather the contracts of Donatas Motiejunas and Jonas Valanciunas, who are both looking to make the leap to the NBA. Both of the players cannot sign contracts, with the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors respectively, before 1 July. Therefore, LKF will be looking to insure Motiejunas’ contract with Asseco Prokom and Valanciunas’ deal with Lietuvos Rytas. lithuaniabasketball.com

Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Olympics, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas, Donatas Motiejunas, Transactions 

“We are offering them the maximum insurance sum available and an extra option, according to which the pay-out would be up to €580,000 ,” said (General Secretary of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation Mindaugas) Balciunas. lithuaniabasketball.com

Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Olympics, Lithuania, Jonas Valanciunas, Donatas Motiejunas, Transactions 

His Eurocup’s numbers show that he did a great job (11.3 ppg., 64.1% 2FG, 7.9 rpg., 1.6 bpg., 16.9 index) and of course the Toronto Raptors that have his NBA rights are watching him and waiting to sign him this summer, as team vice president Maurizio Gherardini clarifies to Eurohoops.net. “Yes, our plan is to sign him this summer as we hope he can be a key piece of our core group of young talented players, a very nice piece for the future of the Raptors”, he says and he doesn’t mind if he has to wait a little more, because of Valanciunas’ commitment to Lithuanian National Team that will compete in FIBA pre- Olympic tournament in Venezuela and probably in the London’s Olympics: “We do not have any objections as we understand how much any player in the world would like to do whatever it takes to represent your country with the National Team and, in this specific case, to make it to the Olympic Games”. EuroHoops.net

Toronto Raptors, Maurizio Gherardini, Jonas Valanciunas 

But where he really shone, according to the excellent Simonas Baranauskas of Lithuania Basketball, was in his showmanship: Valanciunas spiced up his performance by dressing up as an old man with a cane, interrupting the game by carrying a banner onto the court encouraging his teammate Renaldas Seibutis. It wasn't the end of the show, as the player started the second half of the game dressed up as a referee, wearing sizably too short pants and slippers, while the referee stepped on the court wearing Valanciunas' jersey. The center was enjoying the power of the whistle, calling a non-existent travel on Tyrese Rice and then a technical foul on the referee that replaced Valanciunas on the court. I choose to believe that Raptors.com's Jay Satur is right and that Valanciunas' "old man with a cane" get-up was actually a Gandalf costume, if for no other reason than I like to imagine him hedging to hem up a point guard on a pick-and-roll and screaming, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" (Lithuanian basketball + "Lord of the Rings" = slam dunk. Thanks again for reading Ball Don't Lie, your home for the nerdiest possible joke combinations.) Yahoo! Sports

Toronto Raptors, Jonas Valanciunas 

Due to the lockout and the late start of the NBA season, Bryan Colangelo had not had a chance to see and talk live with top prospect Jonas Valanciunas since last summer. Toronto’s president and general manager rectified that situation recently by having productive meetings with Valanciunas, Lietuvos Rytas head coach Aleksandar Dzikic, its owner and Lithuanian national team head coach Kestutis Kemzura. “It was just more than anything, an expression that all of our interests are aligned. We want what’s best for Jonas, want him to be as prepared as possible to make the best possible entrance into the NBA,” Colangelo said before his Raptors took on the Celtics on Wednesday night. “Everybody now is certainly on the same page.” Toronto Sun

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Jonas Valanciunas 

“We had a chance to learn a little bit more about the situation, which is always good. Bridge a little bit of communication between all the parties, which is equally important when the buyout is concerned (the Raptors will buy Valanciunas out after Rytas concludes its season) … more than anything, making sure everybody had the same vision and I think that is very much the case.” Toronto Sun

Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo, Jonas Valanciunas