National Basketball Association

Raptors sign 7-foot Jonas Valanciunas to extension

Published Aug. 20, 2015 4:08 p.m. ET

foxsports

TORONTO (AP) The Toronto Raptors have signed center Jonas Valanciunas to a multiyear contract extension.

Valanciunas said on Twitter on Thursday the deal is for four years.

Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri calls the 7-foot, 270-pound Lithuanian ''a significant part of what we are building in Toronto.''

Valanciunas averaged a career-high 12 points last season and finished second to Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan with a .572 field goal percentage. Valanciunas led the Raptors with 22 double-doubles, and his 8.7 rebounds per game were a team high.

The 23-year-old center was the fifth overall pick in the 2011 draft. He joined the Raptors before the 2012-13 season. In three seasons, he has averaged 10.9 points, 8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.

The Raptors have won consecutive Atlantic Division titles but have not reached the second round since the 2000-01 season.