WASHINGTON — Before Jonas Valanciunas signed his three-year, $32 million deal with the Wizards — a free agent contract that felt almost immediately like a future trade piece — the bruising center heard a little bit about the Knicks’ interest.
“I don’t know how serious that was. My agent was handling,” Valanciunas told The Post. “I heard something from that side. But there’s a lot of X’s and O’s. Salary cap issues, this and that. Strategic stuff. Every team does what they think is the best for them.”
The Knicks, of course, went the route of Karl-Anthony Towns, keeping their salary cap as necessarily below the second luxury tax apron as possible while they plotted the arrival of his massive contract.
Now two months into the season, the maneuvering paid dividends for the Knicks — Towns is on an All-Star path — but there are still concerns about center depth.
Mitchell Robinson remains out for reasons the Knicks haven’t fully explained.
His procedure in May was described as minor, but nearly eight months later he hasn’t been cleared to sprint, according to the last update from Thibodeau.
Robinson, who traveled with the Knicks to D.C., hasn’t spoken to the media since the surgery.
Precious Achiuwa, a natural power forward, entered Monday against the Wizards as the only frontcourt rotational reserve in the previous four games.
The circumstances have prompted speculation that the Knicks, who are operating with limited assets and flexibility after their offseason hauls, will be shopping for a center before the February trade deadline.
And perhaps related — Valanciunas, a 32-year-old former client of current Knicks president/ex-agent Leon Rose, has been identified around the league as one of the players who will likely be available.
It’s a product of the environment.
Valanciunas is a veteran on a rebuilding team that is headed to the draft lottery.
He’s backing up a 19-year-old rookie, Alex Sarr, who is being allowed to play through mistakes for the sake of development.
Valanciunas’ contract can retrieve assets.
Other potential available centers on rebuilding teams include Nick Richards (Hornets), Robert Williams III (Blazers), Kelly Olynyk (Raptors) and Daniel Theis (Pelicans).
With the new tax apron restrictions, the Wizards are among the few teams that can take back more salary in a trade (the Knicks can’t).
So dealing Robinson’s $14.3 million salary for Valanciunas’s $9.9 million theoretically works, although the Knicks would almost certainly have to include draft compensation.
They own several future second-round picks but can only deal one first-rounder.
Coincidentally, that originally belonged to the Wizards.
“What can happen in the future, maybe tomorrow, maybe even today, I don’t know,” Valanciunas said about the possibility of being dealt. “If it happens, it happens. It’s a young team still putting the pieces together. Everything can happen.”
In the meantime, Valanciunas is conducting himself as a pro.
He’s played every game this season and said he understood the deal when he signed — “They wanted me, they showed some trust in me, so I’m happy here.”
“You’ve got to stay patient,” he added. “But we get better, we practice and the young guys drive me to get better, too. I feel the kick in my ass to practice and get better and work on my skills. So I’m taking advantage from that.”
The bearded Lithuanian has established himself as a top-shelf rebounder in the NBA who, through 13 NBA seasons, has logged 58 playoff appearances.
Defensively, he’s a strong presence in the paint but lacks the quickness/mobility to effectively defend pick-and-rolls.
Offensively, he developed a decent 3-pointer and said he’s working on playmaking through “handling the ball up top, setting screens and shooting — not just from the 3-point line, but shot pops. Middies.”
Still, he understands his bread-and-butter and reputation.
He’s a bull under the basket.
“Well, that’s what I do,” Valanciunas smiled. “I’m just playing my game, doing what I do. And if people see that, great.”
