Though he wasn’t on the team when they won it all on June 13, longtime Toronto Raptors centre Jonas Valanciunas would still welcome some of the hardware that comes with winning a title.
Speaking to Lithuanian basketball reporter Donatas Urbonas, Valanciunas said he’d gladly accept one of those shiny Raptors championship rings if they offered him one.
The 27-year-old was originally drafted by the Raptors fifth overall in the 2011 NBA Draft and spent his entire career in Toronto until he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies at this year’s deadline in a deal that brought over Marc Gasol, an integral piece to the Raptors’ championship run.
Valanciunas tells Urbonas that while he was happy to see the Raptors win, it was still a pretty bittersweet sight to him.
Despite these mixed feelings, it looks like Valanciunas has settled in well in Memphis as he reportedly signed a three-year contract to remain with the Grizzlies.
In the meantime, it seems as if Valanciunas will be waiting for that call from Masai Ujiri and co. to send that 2019 championship ring.
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