Houston Rockets: What's Going On With Donatas Motiejunas?

Say it ain’t so Houston Rockets. I won’t believe it, I refuse to accept it but it’s currently a reality. You’re getting ready to play a set of exhibition games for the next week in Shanghai and Beijing, China without one of your most versatile players!

Say it ain’t so Houston Rockets. I won’t believe it, I refuse to accept it but it’s currently a reality. You’re getting ready to play a set of exhibition games for the next week in Shanghai and Beijing, China without one of your most versatile players!

Just who am I talking about?

None other than Donatas Motiejunas!

You know, I had a feeling this would happen.

Let’s rewind back to February right around the trade deadline…

D-Mo — along with Marcus Thornton — were about to shipped out to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for a first-rounder for this year’s draft that would’ve been a protected Top 8 pick.

This was a three-team deal that involved the Philadelphia 76ers acquiring Joel Anthony from the Rockets and a second-round pick.

Yes, that was so many assets moving that it could make anybody’s head shift to permanent swivel mode!

But you know what?

Any funny thing happened — the Pistons decided to void the trade as they had concerns of D-Mo’s ongoing back problems.

KER-PLAT!

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And there you have it — Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, who had the ambience of a successful Wall Street banker that got an insider-tip to unload some under-performing stock, felt like he had been shafted.

And hence the unraveling of the trade — D-Mo and Thornton returned back to H-Town while Anthony reunited with the Pistons.

We all knew how this played out as well — D-Mo finally made his return and was quite productive for the Rockets as he knocked off his rust, Thornton eventually signed with the Washington Wizards after being waived and Anthony latched on with the Denver Nuggets.

What could’ve been?

But the Pistons’ team doctors rightfully had a concern — D-Mo was only able to churn out 14 games because of his ailments and that is why he ultimately failed his physical.

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But let’s fast-forward to the present…

D-Mo is currently a restricted free agent — which means that the Rockets could match any offer made by any team competing for his services.

The Rockets are playing hardball — having not budged on their initial qualifying offer of a one-year, $4.4 million deal back in June.

As opposed to last season, with the raising of the salary cap to $94.1 million, the Rockets are holding right at $96.3 million — just above the cap — but far below the luxury tax threshold of $113 million.

This was the result of signing free agent forward Ryan Anderson to a four-year, $80 million deal and guard Eric Gordon to a four-year, $53 million contract.

That was a lot of money thrown around at once over the summer and D-Mo seemed to fall by the way side as far as the big picture in terms of the Rockets plans for the future.

Motiejunas had until Oct. 1 to sign the contract the Rockets have tendered to him but has refused to do so.

He and his agent B.J. Armstrong — the three-time NBA champion who is now a sports agent — continue to spar with the Rockets.

Morey, who is highly-regarded as one of the most analytical GMs in the NBA, was the source of Armstrong’s ire with the Rockets’ organization.

Here’s what he tweeted last week which was a direct shot across the bow:

When analytics can measure human behavior, then and only then will I find them useful
— BJ Armstrong (@bjarmstrong) October 1, 2016

Yes, it’s getting ugly and I only hope that the two sides can come to the table for an agreement.

But the sad part of this is that the Rockets don’t have to rush — they’ve signed the guys they wanted and they’re moving full-steam ahead with the upcoming season.

D-Mo, to which I’m sure he has been the ultimate team player with undeniable passion for the game he loves, is coming a begotten piece in the Rockets’ puzzle.

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I’m sure he feels unappreciated for the hard work he has done despite his slew of injuries.

But the NBA is a business and it will ultimately do what’s necessary to protect its brand.

He has yet to receive an offer from a team that’s willing to pay more than what the Rockets have offered.

We’ll have to see how this plays out but he may have to take the offer the Rockets have made to prove to the league that he can last a season without his back going out.

That Oct. 1 deadline is all relative and he can still accept it at any time he wishes.

I’m hoping for the best.

Motiejunas, 25, averaged 6.2 points, 2.9 rebounds while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 28.1 percent from three through 37 games in 2015-16.

Go Rockets.

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Houston Rockets: What’s Going On With Donatas Motiejunas?

By Brian K. Patterson | Oct 6, 2016

Say it ain’t so Houston Rockets. I won’t believe it, I refuse to accept it but it’s currently a reality. You’re getting ready to play a set of exhibition games for the next week in Shanghai and Beijing, China without one of your most versatile players!

More from House of Houston