Jonas Valanciunas could be a Knicks target before trade deadline with Mitchell Robinson still out

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...