Motiejunas: Free agency debacle 'was one of the worst experiences of my life'

Donatas Motiejunas isn't holding anything back when discussing the free agency situation he experienced with the Houston Rockets over the past few months.

Motiejunas - who signed for the remainder of this season with the Pelicans on Jan. 3 - isn't making nearly as much this season as he could have after signing two separate four-year offer sheets with the Nets and Rockets. But with two failed physicals over nine months, as well as contract disagreements on both sides, the Lithuanian became a free agent and now finds himself severely underpaid at $576,724 - a far cry from the potential $10 million he was due to make per season.

While the financial side of the situation didn't fall in his favour, the basketball side was what really affected the 26-year-old.

"Honestly, you can say it was business stuff, but, from my side, I'm a basketball player, I just want to play," Motiejunas told Basketball Insiders. "Being involved in that business situation, it was one of the worst experiences of my life that I’ve had. I would say, from any basketball player, we work every day, we put our sweat, we put our tears, we put our blood on the floor, try to help and make teams better, so when someone acts with you like this, it’s just wrong."

Motiejunas - who played for the Rockets for four seasons, averaging 7.8 points, and four rebounds over 214 games - expected more loyalty from Houston during negotiations, but after his health concerns it isn't hard to see why they weren't so quick to give him the money he desired.

The Pelicans newly acquired big man is still bitter about how things played out with his former team.

"(Houston) lost an asset,” Motiejunas continued. “I lost $37, 38 million, so both sides lost in this situation. No one won in this situation actually.

"It was just a ridiculous situation, the resolution was taking too long, and it was affecting me as a player, and it was affecting me personally. Instead of being a business decision it was like more of a personal decision.”