Donatas Motiejunas Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Parsons, Crabbe, Jones, Motiejunas

November 20th, 2016 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Grizzlies forward Chandler Parsons is expected to miss up to two weeks with a bone bruise in his left knee, posts Tim MacMahon on ESPN Now. It’s not the same knee that Parsons had surgically repaired twice. He missed the start of this season while recovering from the latest operation in March and has played just six games for Memphis, which signed him to a four-year, $94MM deal this summer.

There’s more from the Western Conference:

Trail Blazers shooting guard Allen Crabbe didn’t believe the Nets’ $75MM offer sheet was real when he first heard about it, relays Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily. Portland matched the four-year deal, keeping Crabbe in a Blazers uniform, but he would have been happy to come to Brooklyn if things had worked out differently. “When I met with them, they were straightforward and told me, ‘Look we’ve got a lot of young guys here that are looking to compete. We’re going to try and build from here,’” Crabbe said. “So you know, I felt like that was a positive first step going into something good being built here. I liked everything about how they were going to use me. But you know, everything happens for a reason and I’m back here and I’m happy with that.”
Circumstances allowed Suns rookie Derrick Jones to make his NBA debut close to home, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. A native of Chester, Pa., Jones was recalled from the D-League after T.J. Warren was struck by illness and couldn’t travel to Saturday’s game at Philadelphia. Family members watched as Jones played the final 2:41. “I love the game and I love being part of the team,” he said. “I’m thankful. Out of all places, I’m coming back home for my call-up game. I got to pray and hope that I stay here now.”
The Rockets continue to hold contract talks with representatives for Donatas Motiejunas, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. “Good discussions” have been reported with the free agent power forward over the last few weeks, but they haven’t resulted in progress toward a contract.

Southwest Rumors: Carter, Barnes, Rockets

November 16th, 2016 at 9:20am CST by Dana Gauruder

Vince Carter is turning back the clock with his recent performances, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. Carter, 39, the oldest player in the league, has averaged 17 points over the Grizzlies’ last four games and is shooting 47.4% from the field this season. The former perennial All-Star is in the final year of a three-year contract. His $4.264MM salary this season becomes fully guaranteed if Memphis retains him through New Year’s Day. Carter undergoes extensive treatment on his right ankle to stay on the court, MacMahon details, but he might have some options next summer if he continues to perform at this level. “The way he’s still playing, retire for what?” Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph told MacMahon. “Give him a two- or three-year deal! That’s what I’d do.”

In other news around the Southwest Division:

Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes is still adjusting to being a go-to guy, The Vertical’s Michael Lee reports. Barnes is averaging 22.3 points and shooting 49.1% in his first nine games with Dallas after signing a four-year max contract this summer. He never averaged more than 11.7 points in his four seasons with the Warriors. “Coming into this situation, in my four years of being in the NBA, I’ve never been a focal point. So, it’s going to take some time,” Barnes told Lee. “I have to embrace that process.”
No progress has been made between the Rockets and power forward Donatas Motiejunas, the only unsigned restricted free agent in the league, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Houston reportedly offered Motiejunas is a multiyear contract that started at a fully guaranteed $7MM in year one. Motiejunas’ $4.4MM qualifying offer expired last month. He was traded to the Pistons in February, but Detroit rescinded the deal because of long-range concerns over his surgically-repaired back.
Dirk Nowitzki must be fully recovered from his right Achilles tendon injury before he returns to action, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle told Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Nowitzki has missed four games with soreness in his Achilles. “He wants to get back, that’s for sure,” Carlisle told Sefko. “But he understands and we understand that he’s got to be right before he comes back. We don’t want him coming back for a game or two, then sitting another week. We’ve got to be vigilant about making sure he’s fully recovered before coming back, even if it takes awhile.”

Stein’s Latest: Motiejunas, B. Lopez, Raptors, Adams

November 4th, 2016 at 2:29pm CST by Luke Adams

After passing along a few details on the latest contract negotiations between the Rockets and Donatas Motiejunas earlier today, Marc Stein fleshed out that report in his latest piece for ESPN.com. According to Stein, November 23 is viewed as an unofficial deadline for Motiejunas to sign, since he wouldn’t be trade-eligible this season if he inks a deal after that date. Players signing free agent contracts are ineligible to be moved for three months after the deal is finalized.

Additionally, as we speculated, the Rockets are reluctant to guarantee any seasons beyond year one in an offer for Motiejunas, sources tell Stein. The forward’s history of back issues plays a significant part in that stance.

Stein has several more updates within his latest piece, so let’s dive in and round them up…

Some rival executives are “increasingly convinced” that the Nets are willing to trade Brook Lopez before this season’s trade deadline, writes Stein. At this point, Brooklyn is believed to be fielding calls, rather than making them — the club is doing its due diligence rather than shopping its standout center. Stein adds that rumblings about potential Boston interest in Lopez have been shot down by Celtics sources, though the ESPN scribe still believe the C’s are worth keeping an eye on.
The Raptors have expressed interest in Sixers big man Nerlens Noel, but sources indicate to Stein that Toronto prefers to give its younger players a chance to play more minutes and fill the void created by Jared Sullinger‘s injury. If rookies like Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam aren’t up to the task, perhaps the Raps’ interest in Noel will grow.
Steven Adams‘ new extension with the Thunder features a 7.5% trade kicker, so he’d get a bonus if he’s traded by Oklahoma City over the life of the four-year deal, per Stein.

Latest On Donatas Motiejunas, Rockets

November 4th, 2016 at 1:09pm CST by Luke Adams

One final 2016 restricted free agent remains unsigned, and the Rockets continue to make efforts to lock up Donatas Motiejunas to a new deal. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter), Houston’s latest offer to Motiejunas is a multiyear proposal that starts at a fully guaranteed $7MM in year one. Stein adds (via Twitter) that it can increase to the $8MM range via incentives.

Of course, the full details of the offer remain somewhat vague based on Stein’s report. A three- or four-year fully guaranteed contract that starts at $7MM would likely appeal to Motiejunas and agent B.J. Armstrong. However, it’s also possible that the deal more closely resembles Tyler Zeller‘s — earlier this year, the Celtics RFA signed a two-year, $16MM contract that is only guaranteed for one season.

In any case, it doesn’t appear as if the Rockets’ latest offer has the two sides on the verge of an agreement. A source tells Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Motiejunas is looking into the possibility of playing overseas. Even if that’s a leverage play from the forward’s camp, it suggests he’s still seeking a stronger offer from Houston or another NBA team.

The Rockets tendered Motiejunas a qualifying offer worth about $4.4MM back in June. The 26-year-old didn’t reach an agreement with Houston or sign an offer sheet with a rival suitor during the offseason, and that qualifying offer expired last month. Motiejunas can no longer sign his one-year QO, but remains a restricted free agent, meaning Houston still has the right of first refusal should he strike a deal with another team.

Although Motiejunas struggled to stay healthy in 2015/16 and his production took a significant hit, he looked like a player on the rise in 2014/15, when he averaged 12.0 PPG and 5.9 RPG to go along with a .504 FG% and a .368 3PT%. He has been plagued by back trouble in recent years, creating some long-term uncertainty about his health and limiting his market.

Western Notes: Goodwin, Motiejunas, Thibodeau

October 25th, 2016 at 9:31pm CST by Eddie Scarito

One of the toughest decisions the Suns had to make when paring down their roster was to part ways with Archie Goodwin, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic notes. “We told Archie Goodwin and his agent at the end of last season that if there wasn’t going to be an opportunity for him to play going into the last year of his deal, that we would try to help him get to a good spot,” GM Ryan McDonough said. “We explored some trade scenarios throughout the summer and into the fall. We tried to help him get elsewhere in a trade.“

“It’s tough for us, for me personally,” McDonough added. “We had him for over three years. He’s improved as a player. He got a lot stronger. His shot has improved. He’s still got some work to do with the shooting. He’s really good in the open court. He’s excellent in transition in getting to the rim. Sometimes, a fresh start for a young guy can be a good thing, especially when he’s somewhat blocked like Archie was here. He’s still so young [22] so I hope that other teams keep that in mind.”

Here’s more from out West:

There are no updates on Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas at this time, according to Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com, who tweets that the NBA’s final restricted free agent of 2016 isn’t exploring overseas opportunities for now.
After opting for continuity a year ago, Pelicans GM Dell Demps brought in plenty of new talent this offseason, including Solomon Hill, E’Twaun Moore, and Langston Galloway. As John Reid of The Times-Picayune details, Demps is optimistic that fans in New Orleans will appreciate the “gritty” and “tough” players on the team’s roster.
With Tom Thibodeau beginning his first campaign as coach/executive with the Timberwolves, Chris Mannix of The Vertical examines the challenges ahead and the impact Thibs will have on the franchise.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Southwest Notes: Holiday, Demps, Beverley

October 23rd, 2016 at 8:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday remains on a leave of absence to care for his wife and newborn daughter, and his representatives have provided an update on the family. In a statement posted on the team’s website, Glushon Management says Lauren Holiday had surgery to remove a brain tumor earlier this month at Duke University Hospital. The couple’s daughter, who was born in September, is “healthy and at home with her family.” The Pelicans have given Holiday permission to remain away from the team for as long as necessary to take care of his family.

There’s more news from the Southwest Division:

Pelicans GM Dell Demps will probably get some time to see if his 11 offseason roster additions can be successful, writes Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. Demps kept his job after the 2014/15 season when the organization fired Monty Williams as head coach, and Duncan doesn’t see this as a make-or-break year. The only exceptions could be if the Pelicans get off to a disastrous start like they did in 2015/16 or if Demps’ contract, the details of which haven’t been made public, expires at the end of the season. New Orleans hired former Hawks GM Danny Ferry as a special advisor over the summer.
The Rockets are preparing to start the season without point guard Patrick Beverley and power forward Donatas Motiejunas, posts Calvin Watkins on ESPN Now. Beverley will have surgery Tuesday on his injured left knee and is expected to be out of action four to six weeks. Motiejunas is a restricted free agent and remains unsigned three days before the team’s opener. “Taking two guys who can play 60 minutes, 30 each, who aren’t here, it’s going to have an impact,” said Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni.
Small forward Troy Williams appears on the verge of earning a roster spot with the Grizzlies, writes Michael Wallace of NBA.com. After going undrafted out of Indiana, Williams signed a two-year deal with Memphis in late July with a $150K guarantee. He was the top preseason scorer among rookies at 13.2 points per game and led the Grizzlies in scoring three times.
D.J. Stephens, who was waived by the Grizzlies Saturday, may opt to play overseas instead of playing for the team’s D-League affiliate, Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal reports (Twitter link).

Where Things Stand For D-Mo, Unsigned Draftees

October 3rd, 2016 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

With the NBA’s preseason schedule underway and the regular season set to begin just over three weeks from now, it’s worth checking in on where things stand for a few players who remain unsigned but who aren’t unrestricted free agents. These three players are under team control, but their situations for the 2016/17 remain uncertain.

The first of the trio is power forward Donatas Motiejunas, 2016’s last restricted free agent. Although Motiejunas was tendered a qualifying offer by the Rockets back in June, he saw that offer expire when he declined to sign it by midnight on October 1. As Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com writes. Motiejunas and the Rockets discussed a contract on Saturday prior to that deadline, but the two sides couldn’t work something out.

“We understand where they are at and what they’d like to do,” agent B.J. Armstrong said of the Rockets, per Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston. “I think they understand what we would like to do. At this time neither side is willing to accept what each is discussing. We will continue to negotiate with the Rockets and other teams. We’re going to continue to work this out and move forward.”

Although the Rockets could extend Motiejunas’ qualifying offer beyond October 1, they’re under no pressure to do so, since the forward continues to be a restricted free agent — Houston still has the right of first refusal, but now Motiejunas no longer has the safety net of signing that one-year QO, which would have let him become an unrestricted free agent in 2017.

It’s a tricky spot for Motiejunas, whose health history has likely scared away rival teams from making an aggressive long-term offer. Armstrong and his client would presumably love to sign a multiyear offer sheet to put pressure on the Rockets, but other teams probably don’t want to spend time putting together a proposal, only to have Houston match it. For now, the Rockets remain in the driver’s seat in contract negotiations, particularly now that they have the option of lowering their one-year offer from the initial $4.4MM QO price.

Meanwhile, the fates of two players selected in the second round of June’s draft remain unclear. Daniel Hamilton, picked 56th overall by the Thunder, and Tyrone Wallace, the 60th overall pick by the Jazz, haven’t yet signed with their respective teams and also haven’t committed to playing overseas.

[RELATED: 2016 Draft Pick Signings]

While we don’t know exactly what’s going on behind the scenes for Hamilton and Wallace, the most likely scenario for each player at this point is following in the footsteps of 58th overall pick Abdel Nader. A Celtics draftee, Nader agreed to play for Boston’s D-League affiliate this season. That allows the Celtics to retain Nader’s NBA rights and to keep an eye on him in Maine, while ensuring that he’ll have a job for the coming season, albeit one that pays very modestly.

Nader and his agent had considered pushing for an NBA deal, but if the Celtics had signed Nader, they likely would have subsequently waived him at the end of the preseason, assigning him to the Maine Red Claws while losing his NBA rights. In that scenario, Nader would have ended up in the same place, but the Celtics wouldn’t have had a vested interest in his development, since they would no longer have held his NBA rights.

We don’t know yet whether Hamilton and Wallace have reached any sort of agreements with the Thunder and Jazz, respectively, but both teams have D-League affiliates, and both organizations are solid and respected. It would make sense for Hamilton and Wallace to accept D-League assignments without NBA contracts, in the hopes that they can develop and impress their teams’ coaches, eventually earning a call-up.

In all likelihood, the Motiejunas, Hamilton, and Wallace situations will each be resolved within the next few weeks, so we’ll keep a close eye on them until then.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Western Notes: Ingram, Motiejunas, Daniels, Warren

October 1st, 2016 at 9:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Friday’s injury to Ben Simmons has validated Brandon Ingram‘s decision to be careful about adding weight, writes Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. Earlier this week, Simmons told reporters that he put on 33 pounds since leaving LSU. Ingram knows he needs to bulk up his 190-pound frame to handle the rigorous NBA game, but he prefers to do it slowly to reduce the risk of injury. The Lakers rookie has abandoned a 5,000-calorie-per-day program that he was practicing before the NBA draft. “As I’m going through the process, it’s as much good weight I can put on during the year,” he said. “Of course in the summer, you can go a different route and try to gain as much weight as you can. During the season, [I’m] just trying to maintain a weight.”

There’s more news out of the Western Conference:

The agent for Donatas Motiejunas took another shot at the Rockets on Twitter as today’s midnight deadline for his client’s $4.4MM qualifying offer approaches. “When analytics can measure human behavior, then and only then will I find them useful,” tweeted B.J. Armstrong. It was an apparent swipe at Houston GM Daryl Morey, who is known as one of the NBA’s top believers in using statistical analysis to rate players. A technicality gives the Rockets the option to extend the offer past the deadline, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, but he doubts that they will. Motiejunas is the last restricted free agent still without a contract.
Troy Daniels will have plenty of freedom to shoot from new Grizzlies coach David Fizdale, according to Ronald Tillery of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Memphis picked up the sharpshooter in a sign-and-trade deal with the Hornets in July. The Grizzlies are Daniels’ fourth team as he enters his fourth NBA season, and Fizdale said the light for him to put up 3-point shots is “beyond green.” “I told him if you pass up a 3-pointer you’ll be sitting next to me,” Fizdale said. “I’d rather him shoot it and get it blocked or shoot an air ball before he passes up a 3.”
The Suns‘ T.J. Warren is fully recovered from the broken foot that ended his season in January, writes Tyler Emerick of NBA.com. The third-year player could see increased minutes at the start of the season with P.J. Tucker recovering from a back injury. “T.J. has been great all training camp,” said teammate Eric Bledsoe. “I can’t stop talking about him. He looks great.”

Donatas Motiejunas, Rockets Not Close To Deal

October 1st, 2016 at 8:40am CST by Eddie Scarito

The Rockets and restricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas have previously exchanged contract proposals, but the two sides remain far apart and are not close to reaching an accord, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com reports. The forward is seeker a larger payout than Houston is offering and Motiejunas and the team haven’t engaged in serious discussions in over a month, league sources inform Watkins. This info jibes with what Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported on Friday.

Motiejunas has until midnight on Sunday to accept the team’s qualifying offer worth $4,433,683. By submitting a qualifying offer, Houston has the right of first refusal on any offer sheet Motiejunas were to ink, which prevents him from signing outright with another club. The Lithuanian big man, who turned 26 in September, could sign that one-year qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but he obviously prefers longer-term security and a bigger payday. It could also lead to a tense situation between himself and the front office if he were to have to accept the QO against his wishes, which isn’t an ideal situation for either party heading into the new season.

The forward’s agent, B.J. Armstrong, told Watkins that he gave the Rockets a deadline of today to work out a deal for his client. If no deal is agreed upon prior to the deadline and Motiejunas chooses not to sign the qualifying offer, or if he allows it to expire, he can eventually sign a one-year deal with the Rockets that could end up being for less money. If that is the route the forward takes, the Rockets would not be able to trade him unless he grants them permission. For what it’s worth, the Rockets have kept an open roster spot for Motiejunas, with the team currently having 19 players under contract, which is one under the preseason limit.

Motiejunas could also seek to sign a contract with another team, but there are only three franchises — the Sixers, Nuggets and Nets — who have the cap space needed to sign him, according to Watkins. If no NBA opportunity presented itself, Motiejunas could seek a deal overseas or choose to sit out the 2016/17 season. Neither of which is as palatable as remaining in the league and earning an NBA paycheck. It is doubtful that Motiejunas could snag a one-year deal overseas that would exceed the amount of his qualifying offer in Houston.

Latest On Donatas Motiejunas, Rockets

September 30th, 2016 at 3:43pm CST by Luke Adams

With an October 1 deadline looming for Donatas Motiejunas and the Rockets, it doesn’t appear the two sides are closing in on a long-term deal. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (via Twitter), Motiejunas the Rockets aren’t currently negotiating, though Wojnarowski cautions there’s still time for the two sides to re-engage.

Motiejunas received a qualifying offer worth $4,433,683 from the Rockets this summer, which gives Houston the right of first refusal, preventing the forward from signing outright with another club. The Lithuanian big man, who turned 26 this month, could sign that one-year qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but he would likely prefer some longer-term security and a bigger payday.

Earlier in September, Motiejunas’ agent B.J. Armstrong publicly expressed some concern with the situation, telling Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com that the Rockets have yet to make a serious contract offer for his client. According to Armstrong, October 1 will be the moment of truth for the Rockets and Motiejunas, with resolution expected to come by that point.

October 1 is the deadline for Motiejunas to accept his qualifying offer. After that point, he remains a restricted free agent, but he’s no longer able to sign that $4.434MM QO that was on the table for the previous three months. So if the Rockets don’t offer him a deal he likes in the very near future, Motiejunas will likely take the QO and focus on unrestricted free agency in 2017. If he signs the QO, he’d also gain the ability to veto any trades involving him this season, which could come in handy, considering the Rockets nearly moved him at the 2016 trade deadline.