Donatas Motiejunas (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers are among the teams that could sign Donatas Motiejunas, who remains a restricted free agent after he let the Houston Rockets' qualifying offer expire last month.
Motiejunas is still without a team a few games into the 2016-2017 season, despite the 26-year-old Lithuanian receiving a multi-year offer from the Rockets that starts at $7 million. But according to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Rockets are "unwilling" to fully guarantee more than the first season of the new contract.
"The Rockets are presently unwilling to fully guarantee more than the first season in a new contract, sources say, in a nod to the back injury that scuttled Houston's trade with Detroit in February that briefly made Motiejunas a Piston until the deal was voided due to a failed physical," Stein wrote.
It remains to be seen whether Houston would still pursue signing Motiejunas, who posts career averages of 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game in four seasons with the Rockets. But it is possible other teams would make a run at Motiejunas, especially those who still have cap space available.
"Six teams out there still possess in excess of $10 million in salary cap space to make a play for him if they wish -- Philadelphia, Denver, Brooklyn, Utah, Phoenix and Minnesota -- but the Rockets remain able to match any offer Motiejunas receives," Stein noted.
Among the teams mentioned by Stein, the Philadelphia 76ers are probably the ones needing the services of Motiejunas.
The Sixers already have a crowded frontcourt, which makes little sense acquiring another big man like Motiejunas. But with Ben Simmons not expected to return from injury until January, and Nerlens Noel likely to get traded before the deadline, inserting another skilled big man in the team's frontcourt rotation would help the 76ers compete until the Aussie phenom returns.
Motiejunas'' ability to make plays and his outside shooting would also help the 76ers stretch the floor. Motiejunas isn't known for blocking shots, but his size and mobility should still boost Philadelphia's defense. With Joel Embiid emerging as the team's defensive anchor, they can afford to add another scoring threat inside the paint.
It is still unclear whether the 76ers would be interested in adding Motiejunas, but the Rockets have the right to match any offers from other teams, which makes it difficult for Philadelphia to consider such move. Nevertheless, Motiejunas seems an intriguing option for the 76ers as an added depth to their frontcourt.
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