Phenom Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 http://i825.photobucket.com/albums/zz176/Andrew745/NBA/donatas-motiejunas-hd.jpg Hours before the NBA locked out its players on Thursday, Rockets rookie Donatas Motiejunas returned to Italy expecting to rejoin his previous team. Motiejunas said he expects to accept an offer from Benetton Treviso to resume his career there for the duration of the NBA lockout and perhaps through next season. Just a week after he joined the Rockets in a draft-night deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Motiejunas left Houston on Thursday to resume training in Treviso. “I still have a contract with Benetton,” Motiejunas, the 20th player taken in the NBA Draft last week, said. “They told me if I want to leave in the middle of the season when the team that took me, Houston, wants me, they would let me go. That will be no problem. “That’s why I’m happy, and a little bit sad. The situation is very tough right now. I don’t really want to go away from the team. I’m not happy about that. That was one of the greatest things that happened in my life, that this team picked me. They really supported me. I appreciated all the fans and all the staff that was working with me. I really feel bad about what is happening right now.” Motiejunas said he would consider remaining with Benetton throughout next season, depending on input from the Rockets. He and his representatives cannot, however, have any communication with the Rockets during the lockout. Before the lockout began, the Rockets did make their tender offer to their draft picks to maintain their NBA rights to them. The NBA has told players it could void contracts of players injured while playing during the lockout, but rookies are not under contract. Veteran forward Luis Scola had said he would seek a team to join during the lockout, but is now expected to play only for the Argentina National team. Most top International teams are expected to offer their top contracts to players that can sign without a clause that would allow players to leave when the lockout ends, an option Motiejunas might consider. “I think it is better to play with some team, to get more minutes and more experience, more toughness, more energy and more toughness, than to come here and see how others play,” Motiejunas said. “That is most difficult thing, to sit on the bench and watch others play.” During the lockout, however, he will not have an option to work with the Rockets, returning instead to Treviso. “I want to be here, but it’s not my option,” Motiejunas said. “But if the team sees I cannot play, why come here and spend one year if there is a lockout.”http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...n/7634890.html Good choice, great choice. Hopefully he comes back when the season begins. Excited to follow his team for a half a year this is good for his development while everyone else is just working out in a gym. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dash Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Love it. There is no point in him staying in the States so he might as well go back to Italy and continue to develop. I hope he's able to rejoin the Rockets once (or if) the lockout is over this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phenom Posted July 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 Love it. There is no point in him staying in the States so he might as well go back to Italy and continue to develop. I hope he's able to rejoin the Rockets once (or if) the lockout is over this year. I'd be very upset if he doesn't return when the NBA season begins. If he does come back it would be a terrific move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChosenOne Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 ^ My thoughts exactly, great move on his part. I have a feeling he had made these plans to be on the safe side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showtime16 Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 I like the fact that he is going play and develop just hope he returns when season starts if it starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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