Zalgiris Kaunas continued its rebuilding for the up-coming season as it locked up big man Joffrey Lauvergne on a one-year contract, the club announced Tuesday. Lauvergne (2.11 meters, 28 years old) arrives at Zalgiris after playing this past season with Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, where he averaged 6.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 19 games in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague. It was the Frenchman's second campaign with Fenerbahce, a time in which he won two Turkish Cup titles.

Lauvergne started his career with the French youth institute CFBB/INSEP before playing with Elan Chalon for three full seasons, winning the 2012 French League trophy and 2011 and 2012 French National Cups. During the 2012-13 season, he made his EuroLeague debut and also played for Valencia Basket of Spain and Partizan Belgrade. He played in the EuroLeague in 2013-14 with Partizan and led the EuroLeague in rebounding while also winning the 2013 Adriatic League crown and the 2013 and 2014 Serbian League titles. The following season Lauvergne played for Khimki Moscow Region in the EuroCup and then went to the United States for 3.5 seasons, playing for Denver, Oklahoma City, Chicago and San Antonio in the NBA. Lauvergne is also a French national team member, having won gold at the FIBA EuroBasketba 2013 and bronzes at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 and EuroBasket 2015.