Contrary to a previous report that the Houston Rockets would hold Donatas Motiejunas to the parameters of his matched offer sheet with the Brooklyn Nets, the Rockets are pulling the offer sheet and signing the big man to a new deal worth $35 million over four years, according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Some of the details, per The Vertical:
- With bonuses, he could reportedly make as much as $37 million over the life of the contract.
- Only one year is fully guaranteed -- the Rockets can decide each July if they want to pick up his option for the following season.
- Houston has more flexibility with regard to using Motiejunas as a trade chip -- unlike with the matched offer sheet, he can be traded in three months and does not have veto power.
- Motiejunas still has to take a physical with the Rockets before joining the team.
In the end, Motiejunas and his agent, B.J. Armstrong, got what they wanted out of their holdout -- a deal similar to what they got from the Nets including incentives. In exchange, it became much easier for the Rockets to include him in a trade.
As long as there's not another twist when he takes his physical, it appears this saga is finally over. Motiejunas gives coach Mike D'Antoni another frontcourt player who can score, defend on the inside and (sometimes) stretch the floor. Given how well Montrezl Harrell and Clint Capela have been playing lately, he will have to earn his playing time.
