After the Rockets matched the Nets’ offer sheet, Donatas Motiejunas skipped his Houston physical today.
It doesn’t sound as if Motiejunas will become more cooperative anytime soon.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:
Motiejunas' agent, B.J. Armstrong: "We have our rights. We're not going to show up. We'll see what happens. We'll see what the Rockets do."
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) December 6, 2016
Unlike previous examples of Armstrong making foolish points to protect his clients, this could be a path that bites his client.
Motiejunas’ rights here were collectively bargained, and they’re pretty clear here.
He has a right not to undergo the physical within two days of Houston matching, but that means the Rockets can hold him in limbo through March 1. On March 2, his offer sheet would become void, and he’d be a restricted free agent – and unable to sign with Brooklyn for a year. Houston could also elect to formalize its offer match or make him a restricted free agent – still without the ability to sign with Brooklyn for a year – at any point between now and March 1.
Motiejunas probably wants the Rockets to “fail” him on his physical, which would send him to the Nets under the terms of the offer sheet. I doubt he’d even need to actually come in for a checkup if the failing is prearranged. But that’d require Houston general manager Daryl Morey squandering an asset out of the goodness of his heart.
Otherwise, Motiejunas is heading toward exercising his right to not get paid – while losing the ability for one year to sign with the one team outside Houston we know wants him.
