Report: Lakers audition UFA Donatas Motiejunas
The Los Angeles Lakers brought in unrestricted free agent Donatas Motiejunas for a workout within the past week, sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
The team held off any signing for the time being, but Motiejunas was reportedly impressive in workouts, and the Lakers are not concerned with his ailing back, which frightened away previous suitors.
Rather, Shelburne notes the Lakers are concerned with Motiejunas' potential impact on the frontcourt rotation. The team is currently short Larry Nance Jr. due to a knee injury, but Motiejunas could still siphon minutes from the likes of Julius Randle and Tarik Black.
Motiejunas comes with injury concerns of his own, but the 26-year-old center has proven himself to be a capable starter when healthy. He averaged 12 points and 5.9 rebounds two seasons ago while starting 62 out of 71 games for the Houston Rockets.
The Lithuanian big can shoot from the perimeter and pass the ball out of the high post - two highly valued skills in Luke Walton's system.
The Brooklyn Nets tried to sign Motiejunas earlier this season, but the Rockets exercised their right to match on the restricted free agent. However, since the Rockets only matched the guaranteed portion of Motiejunas' deal - leaving out $6 million offered from the Nets in the form of incentives - Motiejunas no-showed for his physical which left all three parties at square one.
The ordeal led the Rockets to renounce their rights to Motiejunas, which made him an unrestricted free agent.