Donatas Motiejunas Interested in the Lakers
By Mike Garcia
Donatas Motiejunas is interested in the Lakers. The website, talkbasket.net, wanted to interview Donatas on his relationship with Dwight Howard and James Harden. During the interview, he provided this little snippet:
"(Talk Basket) Where would you like to play if you were to leave the Rockets?(Motiejunas)– Most likely in Los Angeles because there are no serious bigs and I would likely get chances to play. I mean the Lakers, not the Clippershttp://www.talkbasket.net/10230-motiejunas-on-relationship-with-howard-and-harden-hello-and-goodbye.html"
Donatas Motiejunas has been sitting on the bench for the Houston Rockets for a long time. The stretch-four has been stuck behind the likes of Terrence Jones, Omri Casspi, Marcus Morris, Patrick Patterson, and Thomas Robinson for the past couple of years.
Motiejunas is known for having triple threat skills with good size. He is a triple threat player, with above average ability to handle the ball, pass, and shoot out to three-point range with his 7′ height. Defensively, he needs a lot of work. He lacks the footspeed to defend face-up power forwards, or the strength against bigger power forwards. He does excel in open court situations and systematic offenses that can take full advantage of his offensive skill level.
The 23-year old played at the Vegas Pro League, and statistically, his offensive skills and rebounding ability were on full display. Through nine games of the Vegas Pro League, he averaged 16.3 points per game, 7.6 rebounds, and 1 assist per game on 56% shooting from the field, 40% behind the three-point line. His full game log during the Vegas Pro League can be found here.
D-Mo had a great game against the Mavs last year, with a 12 point, 13 rebound effort against the Dallas Mavericks.
More recently, he had an 18 point, 13 rebound game against the Hornets in Las Vegas. He showed great skill level playing in the post.
That off-hand hook is dangerous.
It wouldn’t hurt to have another triple threat front court player in the Princeton offense. Byron Scott has one similar player in Ryan Kelly, but Kelly is more adept as a jumpshooter. Motiejunas provides better ability in the paint with his ability to post up as well as attack from the high post area with face up situations.
The Rockets have a team option after the 2014 season is over. It doesn’t look like he’ll stay a Houston Rocket after this season.
Do you think the Lakers should acquire Donatas Motiejunas next year?
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