Donatas Motiejunas is still looking for a team after turning down the latest contract offer from the Houston Rockets. The sweet-shooting Lithuanian big man is hoping that a team with enough cap space will sign him, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.
The 26-year old Motiejunas is surprised that he's still unsigned five months after the free-agency window opened. The Rockets tried several times already to hammer a deal with the big man, but no deal was reached.
According to reports, the Rockets offered a contract with $7 million guaranteed first-year salary and team option, but Motiejunas turned it down since he was seeking for a long term contract.
The Rockets are reportedly hesitant to give a guaranteed long-term deal to Motiejunas, considering his recurring back issues.
"Because Motiejunas remains a restricted free agent, the Rockets would have the option to match any offer sheet he receives. Motiejunas' camp believes Houston's offers haven't been sufficient based on his performance. If the 26-year-old Lithuanian native decides to play overseas, the Rockets would still retain his NBA rights and could match any deal."
Motiejunas, who averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in his career, could have avoided this contract impasse should he signed a qualifying contract worth $4.4 million and become an unrestricted free-agent the next season.
Montrezl Harrell and Sam Dekker have stepped up to fill in his role nicely for the Rockets, who are 9-6 after 15 games.
Teams that could make a run for a stretch-forward like Motiejunas are the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets and the Brooklyn Nets, who are all under the cap limit. The Sixers particularly are in need of a forward who can provide more real estate for Joel Embiid to operate down low.
The Los Angeles Lakers, on the other hand, could make some room for Motiejunas if they want to, but their frontcourt is already loaded with young big men like Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr.
