The Houston Rockets have decided to let Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas hit the semi-open market this coming summer.
With the Oct. 31 deadline looming for teams to iron out contract extensions with fourth-year players, the Houston Rockets have elected to bypass talks with their two stretch bigs altogether, according to Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania:
The Houston Rockets and forwards Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas are bypassing contract extensions before the Nov. 2 deadline, unable to gain traction in discussions, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Neither side has had much movement in extension talks, sources said.Jones and Motiejunas will be eligible for significant long-term deals as restricted free agents in 2016 while Houston is able to retain salary cap room.
No surprises here.
Both Jones and Motiejunas need to prove they can stay healthy for entire season before the Houston Rockets invest long-term cash in them. Jones himself, a stout rim protector, must show he can actually be a full-time stretch 5. His three-point percentage has improved through each of his first three seasons, but the volume, in part due to injuries, has been small and only partially telling.
More than anything, though, the Rockets were never going to extend either player. It’s always been better for them to wait until this summer, when both become restricted free agents and they have the right to match any offer that they receive.
Holding off now cheapens Jones’ and Motiejunas’ cap holds significantly. Rather than paying them $12 million-plus per year, which they should easily command in the new salary-cap climate, the Rockets will be able to operate in free agency knowing the two combine for a $12 million hit until they sign their new deals. That’ll aid in their attempt to create flexibility and, like many other teams, enter the fold for Kevin Durant.
Dwight Howard can also become a free agent after this season, which may be factoring into this scenario as well. The Houston Rockets don’t actually need all four of him, Clint Capela, Jones and Motiejunas—especially if their plan is to chase Durant. One or more of those four, including Howard, could become expendable depending on how this season shakes out and how next summer unfolds.
Hence all the waiting.
