If Markieff Morris’ implosion with the Phoenix Suns won’t prevent the Houston Rockets from trading Terrence Jones for him, Donatas Motiejunas’ latest injury should.
Motiejunas is once again sidelined with back issues, and according to the Houston Chronicle‘s Jonathan Feigen, while there is technically no new injury to report, Houston’s stretch forward-center is expected to miss an ample amount of time:
An MRI and other examinations on Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas’ sore back in Houston on Monday did not show further damage, indicating that the setback in his ongoing return from last season’s back surgery would not be too great. The Rockets could not, however, establish a timetable on his return until he is pain free.
Motiejunas missed a second-consecutive game on Monday after developing back pain on Saturday. He had been out for eight months after the surgery to repair a herniated disk, but was still working his way back to full strength. He was cleared to play Dec. 5, averaging 5.6 points in 13.5 minutes per game.
Motiejunas felt much better on Monday than over the weekend, but is expected to also be out against the Jazz on Thursday.
A back injury has limited Donatas Motiejunas to just 14 appearances this season, and it kept him from participating in the Rockets’ surprising 2015 playoff push. Though he wasn’t playing exceptionally well upon return this year, he was putting in more than 41 percent of his long balls, and his combination of three-point range and, at times, adequate defense is two-way versatility the still-struggling Rockets lack.
There will always be a place for three-point-shooting bigs in today’s NBA, but Motiejunas is slated for restricted free agency this summer. If he’s unable to return to soon, or if this becomes a recurring issue, or if he’s somehow unable to put together a convincing performance once he officially recovers, it’s going to make for a very, very interesting July.
