The Nets offer Donatas Motiejunas a $37 million deal.
DENVER — After five months with the Rockets and their free-agent forward/center Donatas Motiejunas stuck in limbo, the team is officially on the clock.
Motiejunas on Friday signed an offer sheet with the Brooklyn Nets worth $37 million over four years, a person with knowledge of the deal said. The individual spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced publicly.
The Rockets will have 72 hours to either match the offer sheet to keep Motiejunas or let him leave for Brooklyn. If they match the offer, Motiejunas cannot be traded without his consent for one year from the day the Rockets match and could not be traded to the Nets at all for a year.
Only the first two seasons of the deal are fully guaranteed. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said Thursday that he still hoped Motiejunas would return, but he would not speculate about how he would respond to different potential offers.
Though the negotiations had been difficult, Motiejunas said he would have no trouble returning to the Rockets if they choose to match his contract.
“Whichever team I go to, I’m going to give my heart to,” Motiejunas said. “I’m going to put in the work and defend that team. I’m going to do my job.”
In four seasons with the Rockets, Motiejunas averaged 7.8 points and four rebounds. In 2014-15, he averaged a career-best 12 points on 50.4 percent shooting to go with 5.9 rebounds, anchoring the Rockets’ frontcourt while Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones missed at least half the season, only to go out himself in late March because of a herniated disc.
His strengths as a perimeter passer and shooter and versatile frontcourt defender are considered ideal for the Rockets’ roster and Mike D’Antoni’s system, but the team had been unwilling to guarantee a long-term deal because of Motiejunas’ back issues.
Motiejunas played just 37 games last season after rehabbing from back surgery in April 2015. The Rockets traded him to the Detroit Pistons in February, but the Pistons’ doctors did not sign off on Motiejunas’ health, and the trade was voided. Motiejunas played the rest of the season, returning to the Rockets’ starting lineup, without setbacks.
Nets physicians examined him this week and found no issues that would prevent a deal.
“I’m thankful the Brooklyn Nets acknowledged my talent,” Motiejunas said. “They check out my health and found no problems. That lifts a problem off my shoulder.”
Motiejunas had been working out in Vancouver, Canada, but returned to Houston after his meetings with the Nets. He said the wait for a deal grew especially difficult in the final months, but that he continued to work on his conditioning.
“It was not easy, but … I got used to the situation,” Motiejunas said. “I did my part and let my agent do his. I’m happy with the way things worked out. We’ll see what is going to happen.
“I’m counting the days. It was a long last couple of months.”