You know you needed yet another Donatas Motiejunas update.
According to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, the 7-footer is now expected to sign a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans to seal his NBA return:
Free-agent power forward Donatas Motiejunas is in serious discussions to sign with the New Orleans Pelicans, league sources told The Vertical.
The Pelicans and Motiejunas’ agent, B.J. Armstrong, had positive talks Sunday, and they are expected to reach an agreement on a one-year deal Tuesday, sources said. The deal is expected to be for the veteran’s minimum, sources said.
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The Pelicans have stated a desire to add more spacing on the floor, and Motiejunas’ signing falls in line with that approach. New Orleans is 14-21 this season and currently one game out of the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
To create a roster spot, the Pelicans waived guard Reggie Williams, who averaged five points in five games.
It has taken a while for Motiejunas to get to this point.
Last season, the Houston Rockets tried trading him to the Detroit Pistons. That deal fell through after he failed a physical. He then entered unrestricted free agency, to virtually no fanfare. It wasn’t until December that the Brooklyn Nets tendered him an offer sheet. The Rockets exercised their right to match, but, after the deal was restructured, Motiejunas didn’t show up for his physical. He eventually got it done, but the Rockets backed out, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Motiejunas has since, per Charania, been linked to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers. Neither team really has room for another frontcourt contributor.
The Pelicans hover around the bottom 10 in three-point efficiency, per NBA.com, and don’t have many floor-spacers to stick at the 4 or 5. Motiejunas can be paired with Anthony Davis up front to inject versatility into an offense that’s struggled to remain efficient all year long.
Motiejunas’ deal, of course, needs to become official first. And if we’ve learned anything over the last 10 months or so, it’s to assume nothing of his imminent future in the NBA.
