Donatas Motiejunas fails to show for physical with Rockets

ByCalvin Watkins ESPN logo
Tuesday, December 6, 2016

HOUSTON -- In a strange twist, after the Houston Rockets matched an offer sheet for restricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas on Monday, the power forward failed to show for his physical on Tuesday.

Motiejunas signed a four-year $37 million offer sheet with the Brooklyn Nets last week and expressed he could play for the Rockets or Nets.

Motiejunas' agent, B.J. Armstrong, told ESPN: "We know our rights. We don't have a problem with the Rockets at all. We understand the rules fully."

The Rockets' options are to keep the offer sheet open and wait for Motiejunas to report or they can pull it and Motiejunas returns to being a restricted free agent.

This latest development continues a long, drawn-out process with Motiejunas, who the Rockets have high-value for as a stretch 4.

"He's skilled, 7 feet, knows how to really play basketball, a hard worker," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said Monday night. "Above all, just his basketball intelligence will be great for any team; it will be great for us. We just got to fit him in and work it out and get him into shape. It's going to take a little bit, but there's time."

It's uncertain what the Rockets will do now regarding Motiejunas.

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