Donatas Motiejunas: Rockets Lost An Asset, I Lost $37M

[RealGM Wiretap]

After a long restricted free agency, Donatas Motiejunas eventually signed a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans when he became an unrestricted free agent.

Motiejunas signed a four-year, $37 million offer sheet with the Brooklyn Nets that was matched by the Houston Rockets, which ultimately fell apart.

“Honestly, you can say it was business stuff, but, from my side, I’m a basketball player, I just want to play,” Motiejunas said. “Being involved in that business situation, it was one of the worst experiences of my life that I’ve had. I would say, from any basketball player, we work every day, we put our sweat, we put our tears, we put our blood on the floor, try to help and make teams better, so when someone acts with you like this, it’s just wrong.”

Motiejunas was asked what he thought about losing a multi-year deal.

“The team lost an asset,” Motiejunas said. “I lost $37, 38 million, so both sides lost in this situation. No one won in this situation actually. I know, as soon as I step on the floor, the people are going to see that I’m the same guy that I was last year when I was playing. For me, I’m not going to lose anything. After this year, someone else is going to pick me up. I’m not worried about that. I know how to play basketball. I know how to make every and each team better. I adjust to the situation depending on what coach asks me to do, so I’m not worried about that. It was just a ridiculous situation, the resolution was taking too long, and it was affecting me as a player, and it was affecting me personally. Instead of being a business decision it was like more of a personal decision.”

Via Michael Scotto/Basketball Insiders

[br7knicks]

Who?

[the_process]

Should have signed your QO, Motie. Or, you know, showed up for your physical after signing your offer sheet.

What you really need is a new agent.

[MaxRider]

Thanks to your stupid agent
Unless you are a SUPERSTAR always show up when you have to
Trying to play game with a team that is playing well without you is a bad bad move

[jason bourne]

Should have signed your QO, Motie. Or, you know, showed up for your physical after signing your offer sheet.

What you really need is a new agent.

What am I missing? Sure, one strategy was for Motie to accept the QO, play out the 2016-17 season, and become an UFA next summer. Instead, I guess he wanted to stay with the Rockets, at the time, because he was trying to negotiate a long-term deal. They couldn't work it out. So, the next decision was whether to accept the QO or become a RFA. He chose RFA thinking the Rockets didn't want him and got a long-term offer with the Nets. Morey was cagey and doesn't like to lose assets so he matched only the $31 M or dollar portion of the contract. He did not have to include the incentives as per the CBA (loophole?), so the deal goes down to $31 M instead of possible $37 M. Motie does not have to show up for his physical to sign the new agreement as per the CBA probably because Morey wouldn't include the incentives. Finally, they agree to tear up the $31 M offer and agree to a new deal for $37 M without the incentives. That sounds like a better deal for Motie. However, Morey gains under the new contract the right to trade Motiejunas w/o his consent to any team in 3 mos. which he couldn't under the CBA match. What happened to make the deal fall apart after that?

[fefe22]

Should have signed your QO, Motie. Or, you know, showed up for your physical after signing your offer sheet.

What you really need is a new agent.

What am I missing? Sure, one strategy was for Motie to accept the QO, play out the 2016-17 season, and become an UFA next summer. Instead, I guess he wanted to stay with the Rockets, at the time, because he was trying to negotiate a long-term deal. They couldn't work it out. So, the next decision was whether to accept the QO or become a RFA. He chose RFA thinking the Rockets didn't want him and got a long-term offer with the Nets. Morey was cagey and doesn't like to lose assets so he matched only the $31 M or dollar portion of the contract. He did not have to include the incentives as per the CBA (loophole?), so the deal goes down to $31 M instead of possible $37 M. Motie does not have to show up for his physical to sign the new agreement as per the CBA probably because Morey wouldn't include the incentives. Finally, they agree to tear up the $31 M offer and agree to a new deal for $37 M without the incentives. That sounds like a better deal for Motie. However, Morey gains under the new contract the right to trade Motiejunas w/o his consent to any team in 3 mos. which he couldn't under the CBA match. What happened to make the deal fall apart after that?

He failed his physical, and the Rockets voided the contract, and cleared D-Mo's restricted status to finally end this saga.

[edquantum]

Should have signed your QO, Motie. Or, you know, showed up for your physical after signing your offer sheet.

What you really need is a new agent.

What am I missing? Sure, one strategy was for Motie to accept the QO, play out the 2016-17 season, and become an UFA next summer. Instead, I guess he wanted to stay with the Rockets, at the time, because he was trying to negotiate a long-term deal. They couldn't work it out. So, the next decision was whether to accept the QO or become a RFA. He chose RFA thinking the Rockets didn't want him and got a long-term offer with the Nets. Morey was cagey and doesn't like to lose assets so he matched only the $31 M or dollar portion of the contract. He did not have to include the incentives as per the CBA (loophole?), so the deal goes down to $31 M instead of possible $37 M. Motie does not have to show up for his physical to sign the new agreement as per the CBA probably because Morey wouldn't include the incentives. Finally, they agree to tear up the $31 M offer and agree to a new deal for $37 M without the incentives. That sounds like a better deal for Motie. However, Morey gains under the new contract the right to trade Motiejunas w/o his consent to any team in 3 mos. which he couldn't under the CBA match. What happened to make the deal fall apart after that?

He failed his physical, and the Rockets voided the contract, and cleared D-Mo's restricted status to finally end this saga.

Or league stepped in for breaking the CBA, nobody officially said that he failed his physical.

[MaxRider]

Should have signed your QO, Motie. Or, you know, showed up for your physical after signing your offer sheet.

What you really need is a new agent.

What am I missing? Sure, one strategy was for Motie to accept the QO, play out the 2016-17 season, and become an UFA next summer. Instead, I guess he wanted to stay with the Rockets, at the time, because he was trying to negotiate a long-term deal. They couldn't work it out. So, the next decision was whether to accept the QO or become a RFA. He chose RFA thinking the Rockets didn't want him and got a long-term offer with the Nets. Morey was cagey and doesn't like to lose assets so he matched only the $31 M or dollar portion of the contract. He did not have to include the incentives as per the CBA (loophole?), so the deal goes down to $31 M instead of possible $37 M. Motie does not have to show up for his physical to sign the new agreement as per the CBA probably because Morey wouldn't include the incentives. Finally, they agree to tear up the $31 M offer and agree to a new deal for $37 M without the incentives. That sounds like a better deal for Motie. However, Morey gains under the new contract the right to trade Motiejunas w/o his consent to any team in 3 mos. which he couldn't under the CBA match. What happened to make the deal fall apart after that?

He failed his physical, and the Rockets voided the contract, and cleared D-Mo's restricted status to finally end this saga.

There is no official word that he failed the physical. Nets isn't happy that Rockets matched the offer sheet but then rework the contract. NBA didn't allow that. Motiejunas and his agent don't want to play for the lesser money contract. This is all his and his agent fault for not doing their research properly. He doesn't have to lose all the money if he just stick to the lesser contract Rockets matched. I guess him and his agent think they can get more money from the market.

[MaxRider]

Should have signed your QO, Motie. Or, you know, showed up for your physical after signing your offer sheet.

What you really need is a new agent.

What am I missing? Sure, one strategy was for Motie to accept the QO, play out the 2016-17 season, and become an UFA next summer. Instead, I guess he wanted to stay with the Rockets, at the time, because he was trying to negotiate a long-term deal. They couldn't work it out. So, the next decision was whether to accept the QO or become a RFA. He chose RFA thinking the Rockets didn't want him and got a long-term offer with the Nets. Morey was cagey and doesn't like to lose assets so he matched only the $31 M or dollar portion of the contract. He did not have to include the incentives as per the CBA (loophole?), so the deal goes down to $31 M instead of possible $37 M. Motie does not have to show up for his physical to sign the new agreement as per the CBA probably because Morey wouldn't include the incentives. Finally, they agree to tear up the $31 M offer and agree to a new deal for $37 M without the incentives. That sounds like a better deal for Motie. However, Morey gains under the new contract the right to trade Motiejunas w/o his consent to any team in 3 mos. which he couldn't under the CBA match. What happened to make the deal fall apart after that?

Morey did offer him around 7-8m first year starting salary contract, but only first year is guaranteed. He wanted more and didn't sign. Morey pull the offer later because if he sign after that day he won't be eligible for trade this season.

[jrob23]

Rockets are the real losers. They lost a player they needed/wanted and got nothing for it. On the surface it appears he lost but he'll make more money in FA than that contract so he'll come out ahead. Not only personally but financially. He basically got HOU to drop him and they laughably did. Players around the league are paying attention too. HOU look like idiots

[Flash4thewin]

Rockets are the real losers. They lost a player they needed/wanted and got nothing for it. On the surface it appears he lost but he'll make more money in FA than that contract so he'll come out ahead. Not only personally but financially. He basically got HOU to drop him and they laughably did. Players around the league are paying attention too. HOU look like idiots

No Donatas comes out looking like a real idiot here the same with his agent. Also lets not kid ourselfs here, he signed for the vet min which is less than the qualifying offer. If he was so confident he would get all this so called money in FA he would have signed the qualifying offer and everything would fall into place. He didnt. Not only that he acted like a little kid, tried to force things his way and now is playing for the vet min. Unrestricted and the most any other team out there would offer him is the vet min. Talk about player and agent looking like fools here.

[Dennis 37]

37 million.

That's hard to take.

[Makaveli2]

So what would you have done if you were the rockets here? They first offered more then his current deal and same amount of guarantee which was for one yr guarantee only (he hasn't played in awhile so this was the safe choice, he risk his health since it's only guaranteed for the season) don agent doesn't like it, so rockets let him go see what was on the market , rockets then matched nets offers except they didn't match extra incentives. He doesn't like that, so rockets let him free except he can't sign with the nets, NBA rules. He then signs a deal worse then the first original offer. His agent sucks man.

Rockets are the real losers. They lost a player they needed/wanted and got nothing for it. On the surface it appears he lost but he'll make more money in FA than that contract so he'll come out ahead. Not only personally but financially. He basically got HOU to drop him and they laughably did. Players around the league are paying attention too. HOU look like idiots

[Flash4thewin]

So what would you have done if you were the rockets here? They first offered more then his current deal and same amount of guarantee which was for one yr guarantee only (he hasn't played in awhile so this was the safe choice, he risk his health since it's only guaranteed for the season) don agent doesn't like it, so rockets let him go see what was on the market , rockets then matched nets offers except they didn't match extra incentives. He doesn't like that, so rockets let him free except he can't sign with the nets, NBA rules. He then signs a deal worse then the first original offer. His agent sucks man.

Rockets are the real losers. They lost a player they needed/wanted and got nothing for it. On the surface it appears he lost but he'll make more money in FA than that contract so he'll come out ahead. Not only personally but financially. He basically got HOU to drop him and they laughably did. Players around the league are paying attention too. HOU look like idiots

From 37 mil to the vet min, this is basically the Darwin Award level stuff for free agency.

[the_process]

dup post

[the_process]

Should have signed your QO, Motie. Or, you know, showed up for your physical after signing your offer sheet.

What you really need is a new agent.

What am I missing? Sure, one strategy was for Motie to accept the QO, play out the 2016-17 season, and become an UFA next summer. Instead, I guess he wanted to stay with the Rockets, at the time, because he was trying to negotiate a long-term deal. They couldn't work it out. So, the next decision was whether to accept the QO or become a RFA. He chose RFA thinking the Rockets didn't want him and got a long-term offer with the Nets. Morey was cagey and doesn't like to lose assets so he matched only the $31 M or dollar portion of the contract. He did not have to include the incentives as per the CBA (loophole?), so the deal goes down to $31 M instead of possible $37 M. Motie does not have to show up for his physical to sign the new agreement as per the CBA probably because Morey wouldn't include the incentives. Finally, they agree to tear up the $31 M offer and agree to a new deal for $37 M without the incentives. That sounds like a better deal for Motie. However, Morey gains under the new contract the right to trade Motiejunas w/o his consent to any team in 3 mos. which he couldn't under the CBA match. What happened to make the deal fall apart after that?

If he had shown up for the physical on the matched RFA offer and failed, then his rights would have reverted to BKN, who had already checked him out and was okay with moving forward. So he would've gotten the 4-37.

[Alonzo_Morning]

0/7 tonight

[GaaBaaBoo]

0/7 tonight

lol

[jason bourne]

Should have signed your QO, Motie. Or, you know, showed up for your physical after signing your offer sheet.

What you really need is a new agent.

What am I missing? Sure, one strategy was for Motie to accept the QO, play out the 2016-17 season, and become an UFA next summer. Instead, I guess he wanted to stay with the Rockets, at the time, because he was trying to negotiate a long-term deal. They couldn't work it out. So, the next decision was whether to accept the QO or become a RFA. He chose RFA thinking the Rockets didn't want him and got a long-term offer with the Nets. Morey was cagey and doesn't like to lose assets so he matched only the $31 M or dollar portion of the contract. He did not have to include the incentives as per the CBA (loophole?), so the deal goes down to $31 M instead of possible $37 M. Motie does not have to show up for his physical to sign the new agreement as per the CBA probably because Morey wouldn't include the incentives. Finally, they agree to tear up the $31 M offer and agree to a new deal for $37 M without the incentives. That sounds like a better deal for Motie. However, Morey gains under the new contract the right to trade Motiejunas w/o his consent to any team in 3 mos. which he couldn't under the CBA match. What happened to make the deal fall apart after that?

If he had shown up for the physical on the matched RFA offer and failed, then his rights would have reverted to BKN, who had already checked him out and was okay with moving forward. So he would've gotten the 4-37.

There was no need to take a physical according to the CBA. Only when they tore up the RFA match deal for a new one required him to take a physical.

Besides, how does he deliberately fail a physical?