Donatas Motiejunas Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Rockets’ Gary Payton II Gets Guaranteed Salary

September 28th, 2016 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

At this time of year, most players who sign contracts with the NBA teams will settle for non-guaranteed or partially-guaranteed deals, unless they’re notable free agents like J.R. Smith or Donatas Motiejunas, who simply haven’t reached common ground with their current teams yet. However, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link), undrafted free agent Gary Payton II got a fully guaranteed salary from the Rockets on his new deal with the team.

Payton’s contract is believed to be for two years, and it’s not clear whether both years are guaranteed or just his 2016/17 salary. Either way, it gives the Rockets a 15th guaranteed salary for this season, even before taking into account Motiejunas, who remains a restricted free agent and is expected to return to the Rockets eventually.

Of course, Payton’s guaranteed salary doesn’t preclude the team from re-signing Motiejunas. But if that happens, it will leave the club with 16 fully guaranteed players, with at least one of them needing to be traded or waived before the regular season gets underway. That should make training camp and the preseason more interesting in Houston, even for players whose roster spots had appeared reasonably secure.

Rockets Notes: Ennis, Motiejunas, Dekker, Capela

September 24th, 2016 at 7:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Thursday’s trade for point guard Tyler Ennis is a sign of the new approach that coach Mike D’Antoni wants to bring to the Rockets, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Ennis was acquired from the Bucks in exchange for veteran forward Michael Beasley. While Beasley is a volume shooter and productive scorer, Ennis thrives in running an offense, particularly the pick-and-roll. Feigen sees the deal as a sign that Houston is moving away from the one-on-one philosophy that has marked the team through much of the James Harden era.

There’s more news out of Houston:

D’Antoni sounded confident that power forward Donatas Motiejunas will be re-signed, Feigen tweets. The restricted free agent has been in a contract impasse with the Rockets all summer, with no movement other than the team submitting a qualifying offer. That offer will expire October 1st if Motiejunas doesn’t accept it. Last week, B.J. Armstrong, the agent for Motiejunas, charged that the Rockets have yet to make a serious offer. Feigen adds that GM Daryl Morey refused to say much about the Motiejunas negotiations at Friday’s media day.
After missing almost his entire rookie year with back problems, Sam Dekker is ready to make up for lost time, Feigen writes in a separate piece. The 22-year-old combo forward said he felt “really good” today after the first practice of the new season and he hopes his physical problems are in the past. The 18th pick in the 2015 draft, Dekker managed just three games and six minutes for the Rockets last season. “I’m a guy that can come in and add energy, add a spark,” Dekker said. “There is a lot I can bring to the table. I’ve been able to show that this summer. I’m looking to keep improving that. I feel much better than I did last year in terms of mentally. The game has slowed down and I know the nuances of the NBA style of basketball. I’m looking to make a splash.”
The Rockets are counting on Clint Capela to improve his game to compensate for the loss of Dwight Howard, relays the Associated Press. The Rockets also signed Nene to provide frontcourt help, but they are counting on Capela to handle most of the work. “Clint is going to have to take a big step forward and it’s not an easy step,” Morey said. “To go from playing 15-20 minutes against often not the starting center to playing 25-plus minutes against front-line guys, that’s a big step forward. It’s more physical. It takes a big toll on your body to do that night-in and night-out.”

Rockets Rumors: Harden, Motiejunas, Contracts

September 22nd, 2016 at 5:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Franchise player James Harden believes the Rockets have already shown better chemistry as they head into training camp on Saturday, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. Harden admits that many of the team’s problems last season could be blamed on a lack of harmony but that has changed, Feigen continues. “We’re doing something I haven’t (experienced) since I’ve been here in Houston,” Harden told Feigen. “Just trying to shake things up, just trying to make sure we really know each other in and out on and off the court. I think that will translate to a better team.” That improved camraderie was evident in mini-camps and workouts that Harden organized, Feigen adds. Along with team bonding, Harden has been focused on avoiding a repeat of last season, when the Rockets went .500 and were knocked out in the opening round of the playoffs after reaching the Western Conference Finals the previous season. “I’ve been training all summer,” Harden said. “Last season wasn’t great at all. It was very disappointing. I don’t want to let that happen two years in a row. I’ve been in the gym working out to get my mind, body and soul right.”

In other developments regarding the Rockets:

Harden says that signing restricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas is “very important,” Feigen relays in a tweet. There’s not much going regarding the impasse between the Rockets and Motiejunas, a source told Feigen (Twitter link). The power forward has not received a serious offer from the club, according to his agent, B.J. Armstrong. Motiejunas does not want to sign the $3.4MM qualifying offer the Rockets have made. The Pistons rescinded a deal with the Rockets at the trade deadline in February when Motiejunas failed a physical because of lingering back problems.
The team plans to sign point guards Gary Payton II, Isaiah Taylor and Bobby Brown and power forward Kyle Wiltjer on Thursday or Friday, Feigen added in the same tweet regarding the lack of progress with Motiejunas’ contract talks. Those contracts are likely to to be two-year deals, according to Feigen. Payton II, Taylor and Wiltjer are undrafted rookies who agreed to deals shortly after the draft. Brown, who hasn’t played in the NBA since 2010, agreed in July to attend the Rockets’ camp.

Community Shootaround: 2016’s Last Unsigned RFA

September 16th, 2016 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

With training camps fast approaching, only one restricted free agent remains on the market. Veteran forward Donatas Motiejunas still has a qualifying offer on the table from the Rockets, but has yet to receive a satisfactory multiyear offer from the team, or from a rival suitor.

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 started 62 games for the Rockets that season.

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 turns 26 next Tuesday, 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 this week, 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, the QO expires and he remains a restricted free agent, but he’s not longer able to sign that $4.434MM offer that was on the table for the previous three months. So if the Rockets still haven’t made a contract offer he likes by that point, he’ll likely take the QO and focus on unrestricted free agency in 2017.

Still, the Rockets have some incentive to get a longer-term deal done with Motiejunas. In addition to securing a solid young player for more than just one year, signing Motiejunas to a multiyear deal would also allow the team to explore trading him at this year’s deadline. If he accepts his QO, he has the ability to veto trades for the entire 2016/17 league year. Considering GM Daryl Morey nearly traded Motiejunas to the Pistons at the 2016 deadline, maintaining that flexibility could be important.

While Motijunas figures to return to the Rockets, it’s also possible that another team steps in at the 11th hour and puts a competitive offer sheet on the table for the former first-round pick. The Nets, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Sixers, Suns, and Jazz are all under the salary floor and would have more than enough room to accommodate such an offer.

How do you expect this situation to play out? Will the Rockets eventually relent and offer Motiejunas a satisfactory two- or three-year deal? Will he end up signing his qualifying offer instead? Will another team swoop in with an offer sheet? If so, which club would be the best fit for the RFA forward?

Take to the comments section below to share your opinions on the NBA’s last remaining restricted free agent in 2016. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Agent For Donatas Motiejunas Blasts Rockets

September 14th, 2016 at 7:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Restricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas has gone all summer without a contract offer, and now his agent is turning up the heat on the Rockets, writes Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com. B.J. Armstrong, who serves as Motiejunas’ representative, said the team hasn’t made a serious offer and then issued a warning about his client’s plans.

“Our moment of truth will be October 1,” Armstrong said. “We’ll make a decision on that day.”

The only move regarding Motiejunas this summer has been the $3.4MM qualifying offer the Rockets made to retain the right to match offers from other teams. His status as a restricted free agent and lingering back problems that limited him to 37 games last season have combined to cool interest in the 25-year-old power forward/center. The Rockets traded him to the Pistons in February, but Detroit voided the deal after Motiejunas failed to pass a physical. He was able to play for the Rockets after returning to Houston, averaging 6.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game after the failed deal.

As a stretch four with 3-point range, Motiejunas figures to be an important weapon in new coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense. Watkins reports that Motiejunas has met with D’Antoni, who promised him a significant role with the team if he re-signs.

Armstrong indicated that Motiejunas may not sign the qualifying offer if the Rockets don’t put together a better deal. However, he recognizes that his client’s options are limited.

“There’s only so much we can do based on the current CBA,” Armstrong said. “I’m not frustrated, this is what it is. We’ll know where the Rockets stand by [Oct. 1]. All deals get done in the 11th hour.”

Free Agency Rumors: Nets, Waiters, Motiejunas

July 20th, 2016 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Thunder rescinded their qualifying offer to Dion Waiters earlier this week, making him an unrestricted free agent, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical identified the Nets as a potential suitor for Waiters. However, NetsDaily later expressed skepticism that Brooklyn would pursue the free agent guard.

Today, ESPN’s Marc Stein (all Twitter links) weighs in on the subject, reporting that the Nets had a face-to-face meeting with Waiters earlier this month in Las Vegas, but moved on without working out a deal with him. Although that meeting happened when Waiters was still a restricted free agent, Stein suggests there’s no indication yet that Brooklyn has altered its stance on pursuing the 24-year-old now that he’s a UFA.

Let’s check in on a few other free agency notes from around the NBA…

Donatas Motiejunas is one of just three restricted free agents still on the market, and he spoke to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston about his status. According to Motiejunas, his agent remains in touch with the Rockets, but he’s also talking to other possible suitors. “There are a couple of teams that still have a lot of interest in me,” Motiejunas said. “I’m not necessarily back (with the Rockets). There are teams that also have a chance to offer (a contract). You never know what’s going to happen, but if it ends up I’m coming back, I’m really happy.”
Rodrigue Beaubois will decline a partially-guaranteed minimum-salary contract offer from the Mavericks, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. Dallas was willing to give Beaubois a chance to compete for a roster spot this fall, but it sounds like the free agent guard is close to agreeing to a deal with Spanish team Saski Baskonia instead. Beaubois, a former first-round pick, has played overseas for the last several seasons and had a much larger role than he ever did in the NBA.
While Tyler Johnson would have been happy to join the Nets after signing an offer sheet with Brooklyn, he was hoping the Heat would match it, as he tells Couper Moorhead of Heat.com. “This is where I’m most comfortable. This is where I’ve found my way in the league. This is where my friends are at. These are the people that I’ve gone through battles with,” Johnson said. “At the end of the day I was still hoping I could figure out a way to come back and be in a HEAT uniform.”
The Cavaliers are playing it smart by being patient and cautious with J.R. Smith in free agency, opines Bud Shaw of Cleveland.com.

Southwest Notes: Mavs, Beaubois, Duncan, Rockets

July 6th, 2016 at 5:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Unlike a year ago, the Mavericks don’t anticipate any snags before the moratorium is lifted on Thursday, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Last summer, Dallas looked like a huge winner in free agency before DeAndre Jordan changed his mind and re-signed with the Clippers. This year should feature a lot less drama, as Dallas is expected to finalize a trade sending Jeremy Evans to Indiana before moving on to its committed free agents. The Mavericks will complete deals with Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut and re-sign Deron Williams and Dwight Powell. The team may decide to shed some more salary, with Sefko mentioning backup center JaVale McGee as a possibility.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Former Maverick Rodrigue Beaubois will be given a chance to make the roster next season, posts Tim McMahon on ESPN Now. The 28-year-old point guard spent four years in Dallas at the start of the decade, but hasn’t played in the NBA since 2013. He spent this season with Strasbourg in France.
Tim Duncan hasn’t made an official announcement about his future, but Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News notes that his career could end with him being waived by the Spurs. Waiving Duncan and stretching his $6.4MM salary over the next three seasons would not only help San Antonio’s cap situation, it would make sure Duncan gets all the money owed to him. All signs point toward Duncan retiring, but McDonald says if he comes back the Spurs will be able to fit him and new free agent signee Pau Gasol under their cap.
Today’s deal with Nene makes the Rockets‘ battle for roster spots more interesting, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Houston now has 13 players under contract for 2016/17, and must decide by August 1st whether to pick up a $1,015,696 option on reserve point guard Andrew Goudelock. The 27-year-old appeared in just eight games after signing with the Rockets in March when he completed his season in China. Combo forward Michael Beasley is in the same position, but a source told Feigen that Houston intends to keep him. The 13 roster spots don’t include restricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas or second-round draft pick Chinanu Onuaku (Twitter link).
There is “growing skepticism” that Alessandro Gentile will join the Rockets next season, tweets international journalist David Pick. It was reported last month that the Italian wing player, whose rights belong to Houston, was interested in playing for new coach Mike D’Antoni.

Latest QO Decisions: Waiters, Motiejunas, Jones

June 30th, 2016 at 11:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have issued a qualifying offer to Dion Waiters, making him a restricted free agent, according to RealGM.com’s transactions log. While the move doesn’t come as a real surprise, the odds of Waiters returning to Oklahoma City appeared to take a hit when the club acquired Victor Oladipo last week, so it wasn’t a lock that Waiters would get a QO.

There’s little to no chance that Waiters will sign the one-year qualifying offer, worth about $6.778MM, since he should have no problem finding more lucrative multiyear offers on the open market. So from the Thunder’s perspective, there’s probably no harm in extending that QO. Even if OKC ultimately rescinds the offer or declines to match an offer sheet Waiters signs with another suitor, making him a restricted free agent gives the club some extra flexibility for now.

Meanwhile, the Rockets have extended a qualifying offer for one power forward, but not another, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, who reports (via Twitter) that Donatas Motiejunas got a QO, but Terrence Jones didn’t.

Houston’s decision means that Motiejunas will remain on the team’s books for now, with a qualifying offer worth $4.434MM, and the Rockets will have the right of first refusal, giving the team the ability to match any offer sheet for Motiejunas. Jones, on the other hand, will become an unrestricted free agent, free to sign anywhere he likes. Although he has struggled with consistency and has battled injuries over the past couple seasons, Jones will likely intrigue teams in the market for a power forward with some shooting range.

For a breakdown of which players eligible for restricted free agency have received qualifying offers, check out our full list of 2016 free agents.

Free Agent Notes: Crawford, Howard, Dudley

June 29th, 2016 at 8:02pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With free agency set to begin on Friday, here’s the latest news, notes and updates from around the league:

Unrestricted free agent Jamal Crawford has meetings set with the Clippers, Knicks, Magic, Mavericks and Heat for when the free agent signing period kicks off, Brad Turner of The Los Angels Times reports (via Twitter).
The Trail Blazers are potentially interested in signing unrestricted free agent center Dwight Howard to a short-term deal, Sam Amick of USA Today relays.
The Wizards want to re-sign unrestricted free agent Jared Dudley, but the Jazz are expected to make a run at the forward this summer as well, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets.
Unrestricted free agent forward Solomon Hill has four meetings scheduled for when the free agent signing period commences, though his former squad, the Pacers, are not among the franchises on the agenda, Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star tweets.
The Blazers are expected to be very active in free agency this offseason, but one player who isn’t on the team’s radar is power forward Ryan Anderson, Jason Quick of CSNNW.com relays (on Twitter). Anderson is expected to be in high-demand around the league this summer.
On team that is indeed interested in Anderson are the Jazz, who plan to be aggressive this offseason in recruiting free agents, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune writes. However, Utah is unlikely to land the stretch-four, Jones adds, classifying Luol Deng and Hill as more realistic targets.
The Clippers are interested in re-signing unrestricted free agent center Cole Aldrich, but will face competition from the Suns and Magic for the big man’s services, Turner tweets.
Restricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas is open to returning to Houston and noted that the Rockets would be the first team he will meet with once the free agent period opens this Friday, Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com relays (ESPN Now link). The big man earned $2,288,205 for his work this past season.

And-Ones: Colangelo, Luwawu, Motiejunas

April 11th, 2016 at 10:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA placed restrictions on Jerry Colangelo after the Sixers hired him as chairman of basketball operations in December, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Rival executives were concerned about Colangelo’s access to star players as USA Basketball’s managing director, fearing he would have an advantage in courting top free agents, Wojnarowski continues. The limitations include Colangelo’s ability to communicate directly with players outside of USA Basketball activities, as well as his impact on the final voting process for national team and Olympic rosters, league sources indicated to Wojnarowski. The limitations will remain in place even though he relinquished his title as the Sixers’ chairman of basketball operations after his son Bryan was hired as president of basketball operations. Jerry Colangelo will now serve as a special adviser to the team’s ownership group, Wojnarowski notes.

In other developments around the league:

Timothe Luwawu, a lottery-level prospect from France, has no intention of withdrawing from the draft in the wake of agent Misko Raznatovic’s announcement earlier today that he’s entered, tweets international journalist David Pick. “I’m ready,” Luwawu told Pick. “I’m going to the NBA.” The swingman is the No. 12 prospect in Jonathan Givony’s DraftExpress rankings, while Chad Ford of ESPN.com lists him 19th.
Marquette freshman power forward Henry Ellenson has signed with agent Joe Branch of Roc Nation, Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops tweets. Ellenson, who declared for the draft earlier this month, is the No. 6 prospect on Ford’s Big Board, while Givony ranks him at No. 9.
Donatas Motiejunas started Sunday’s game for the Rockets, his 20th of the season and 82nd since the start of 2014/15, enough to trigger the NBA’s starter criteria, as we explained Friday. That means the Rockets will have to make a qualifying offer worth $4,433,683 instead of just $3,278,998 by June 30th to retain the right to match competing bids for the power forward, who’s headed into free agency.
Bob Donewald, Jr. will not return next season as the head coach of the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate, the Iowa Energy, the team announced on its website. Donewald compiled a 52-48 record with the Energy, including a 26-24 record this season.
The Cavaliers recalled center Sasha Kaun and shooting guard Jordan McRae from their D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge, according to the team’s website. They had been assigned to the Charge earlier in the day. The pair will be reassigned to the Charge on Tuesday, Josh Weir of The Repository tweets.