Lakers: What Would Donatas Motiejunas Bring to LA?
Following his work out with the Los Angeles Lakers, we’re breaking down what unrestricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas would bring to the team.
The Lakers brought in 26-year-old big man Donatas Motiejunas for a workout before the Holidays, according to Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein of ESPN. Motiejunas was a member of the Houston Rockets before entering restricted free agency this past summer.
As a restricted free agent, Motiejunas signed a four-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets worth up to $35 million. The Rockets matched the Nets’ offer, but due to complications with the front office, the organization allowed Motiejunas to enter unrestricted free agency.
Motiejunas is allowed to sign with any NBA team except the Brooklyn Nets. According to the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, a team that had their deal matched in restricted free agency must wait a year before they can sign the player.
In other words, if the Lakers wanted to sign D’Mo, they could. The Lakers have a middle level exception they could use on Motiejunas worth up to $2.9 million.
19 other teams have that same $2.9 MLE, including contenders like the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets. Eight other teams can offer him more than the MLE, including the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder. So why would D’Mo choose the Lake Show?
Donatas Motiejunas is a natural fit with the Purple and Gold, but not the way most fans think. Standing at exactly seven feet, D’Mo brings size off the bench for a team that desperately needs it. Outside of Timofey Mozgov and Ivica Zubac, the Lakers don’t have any legitimate size in the second unit. The third tallest player on the team is Thomas Robinson, who is only 6-foot-10.
Signing Motiejunas would allow Luke Walton to have more than one option on his bench when he needs size up front. Currently his best and only option is Mozgov, but he typically doesn’t like closing out games with the Russian big man. D’Mo could be the go-to big in crunch time for Walton.
Another thing that Motiejunas brings to the table–which is a little overstated quite frankly–is his ability to stretch the floor. To call D’Mo a stretch big is a stretch itself. His best shooting season from behind the arc was during 2014-15 season when he shot 36.8 percent from deep on 1.9 attempts.
That season, D’Mo was one of only four seven-footers to shoot better than 30 percent on at least 1.5 attempts or more. The others? Dirk Nowitzki, Kelly Olynyk and–you guessed it–Andrea Bargnani. Elite company.
Since then, however, D’Mo has failed to average anywhere near 36 percent from 3 again. Last season, he shot 28 percent from deep on 1.5 attempts per game in the 37 games he suited up for the Rockets. Injuries or not, that’s pretty bad for a “stretch big.”
He’s like a younger version of Andrew Bogut just without the defense and Australian accent.
Perhaps the most under appreciated aspect of D’Mo’s game is his post game. Not only does Motiejunas have some pretty sweet post moves for a 7-foot, 222 pound big man, but his post passing is exactly what the Lakers are missing.
He’s like a younger version of Andrew Bogut just without the defense and Australian accent. The first few highlights in the video below display D’Mo’s ability to set up his teammates not only in the post, but in transition. Name a player on the Lakers’ roster not named Julius Randle that can do the same.
Just imagine Motiejunas posting up and feeding a cutting Brandon Ingram for the slam. It’s almost too good to be true.
His post moves are also borderline elite. Whenever Mozgov gets the ball in the post, it’s almost always a turnover. I’m genuinely surprised his teammates don’t start getting back on defense whenever he tries to post up. Montiejunas, however, is just the opposite.
He’ll hit you with the turnaround jumper and then hit you with a baby hook on the next possession. Tarik Black’s grit and grind style of play is great, but sometimes the Lakers need a soft touch around the rim. D’Mo can be just that.
The only concern with signing Montiejunas would be how it would mess with the rotation. Depending on how well he played, D’Mo could take playing time from Larry Nance Jr. or Tarik Black.
Los Angeles would also have to waive a player or two to sign D’Mo. The first names that come to mind are the end of the bench players like Marcelo Huertas, Metta World Peace and yes, Ivica Zubac.
While the latter of the three seems like the easy choice, the front office has shown a willingness to keep “Lakers family” around at the expense of young talent (i.e. Anthony Brown). Zubac might not be a better player than Montiejunas now, but the kid has a ton of potential. Letting him go for a half season rental isn’t worth it.
But if the Lakers give up a fringe rotation like Marcelo Huertas for an established young player like Montiejunas, it would be a risk worth taking.
Next: Lakers work out free agent big man
Should the Lakers offer Montiejunas a contract? Are there better, cheaper options available? Let us know in the comments below or send us a tweet @TheLakeShowLife.