News: Rockets rookie forward Donatas Motiejunas continues to flash tantalizing glimpses of his potential, but he struggled again Wednesday against the Jazz. He scored just five points on 2 of 8 shooting in the game, the third game in a row he has scored in single figures. He added just five rebounds, one block and one steal in 26 minutes, in a 100-93 win.
Analysis: Motiejunas is obviously offensively gifted, and he seems to be a good fit for the Rockets' starting lineup, but he still has some developing to do. Motiejunas is averaging 9.0 points per game in the month of March, but has reached double figures just twice in nine games. Motiejunas remains more of a low-end Fantasy option, at this point.
News: Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas scored in double figures for the first time since March 1 on Wednesday against the Suns. He finished with a career-high 19 points and hauled in five rebounds in the 111-81 win. He went 7 for 12 from the field, including 2 for 4 from downtown, and made 3 of 4 free throws. Motiejunas also posted two assists and a block while playing 28 minutes.
Analysis: Motiejunas has been seeing some run for the Rockets of late and entered Wednesday averaging 10.3 points with 3.8 rebounds in the previous eight contests. He has been seeing around 20 minutes per game during that stretch and appears to have some decent upside at age 22. Keep an eye on his progress but Motiejunas remains more of a low-end Fantasy option at this point.
News: Rockets rookie forward Donatas Motiejunas made his first start of the season Wednesday against the Bucks, and he did not seem at all overmatched. Motiejunas scored 13 points in 26 minutes in the start, shooting 4 of 9 from the field. He added one three-pointer, and filled up the box score very well, snagging seven rebounds and dishing out five assists with just two turnovers. Motiejunas played six minutes in the fourth quarter, switching between center and power forward.
Analysis: The fact that the Rockets feel they can rely on Motiejunas at both big positions bodes incredibly well for his ability to get consistent minutes moving forward. We are still dealing with small samples with Motiejunas, but the early returns are very promising, as he has scored in double figures in three of his last five games. Motiejunas is a very unique offensive player, a true seven-footer with range out to the three-point line. He fits the Rockets’ offensive system well due to his ability to stretch the floor, and he could end up putting up solid numbers. Motiejunas is definitely a player to keep an eye on in all Fantasy formats, as he might be worth snagging off the waiver wires down the line.
News: Rockets rookie forward Donatas Motiejunas had a solid game against the Wizards Saturday, as his role continues to grow. Motiejunas scored 11 points in 23 minutes of playing time, the third time in four games that he has played at least 10 minutes. Motiejunas shot 4 of 6 from the field, adding two three-pointers, six rebounds and two assists, in a 105-103 loss. Motiejunas’ role has grown since the team traded Patrick Patterson to the Kings.
Analysis: Motiejunas has the size to fill in as a backup center, and range out to the three-point line, making him a very intriguing offensive prospect. Motiejunas is now shooting 33.3 percent from three-point range on the season and 54.0 percent from the field overall. He has not seen many chances to play overall, but his role is definitely growing. The Rockets may have been motivated to make the trade in part to get Motiejunas on the floor more often. He is not yet worth running out to grab on the waiver wires, but Motiejunas’ skillset and growing role make him someone to watch in deeper Fantasy formats.
News: Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas made a surprise impact in Wednesday’s game against the Clippers, fueling a late comeback that ultimately fell short. He scored 13 points in just 16 minutes, the first time the rookie has reached double digits in scoring this season. Motiejunas shot 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line, with three rebounds and a pair of assists, in a 106-96 loss.
Analysis: Motiejunas is a well-regarded rookie from Lithuania who was selected in the first round of the 2011 draft, but spent the year overseas. He has been shuttled back and forth between the D-League and NBA, and has appeared in just 18 games this season. He showed why the Rockets think highly about him Wednesday, but is unlikely to see a major role moving forward. At this point, he remains just a long-term project, and should be ignored in most Fantasy formats.
News: Less than a week after his demotion, the Rockets recalled forward Donatas Motiejunas from the NBA Development League on Monday. Motiejunas was assigned to Rio Grande Valley last Tuesday after appearing in just 14 games for Houston.
Analysis: Motiejunas never surpassed eight minutes of playing time during his previous appearances with the Rockets and averaged a mere 1.6 points per game during his earlier stint. He is still not considered a key offensive contributor and should be left untouched in Fantasy formats.
News: The Rockets assigned power forward Donatas Motiejunas to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the D-League on Tuesday.
Analysis: Motiejunas has scored just 22 points in 14 games this season and has a long way to go before becoming a viable option in Fantasy. Continue to ignore the 22-year-old in all formats at this point.
News: Houston power forward Donatas Motiejunas only saw one minute of action on Tuesday night in a win over the Lakers. He took one field goal attempt and connected for two points.
Analysis: Motiejunas has played in just 10 games this season and isn't seeing even five minutes per night in those games. Clearly, the 22-year-old Lithuanian has low-end Fantasy value in all leagues.
News: Houston recalled power forward Donatas Motiejunas from the D-League on Tuesday. Motiejunas averaged 23.5 points and 10.8 rebounds over four games in the D-League.
Analysis: Motiejunas could see some playing time with Houston while Patrick Patterson continues to sit out. That said, we don't expect Motiejunas to become a viable Fantasy option anytime soon.
News: Houston assigned center Donatas Motiejunas to the D-League Friday.
Analysis: Motiejunas is likely to be back and forth between the NBA and D-League. That said, he has low-end Fantasy value in all formats.
News: The Rockets recalled rookie forward Donatas Motiejunas from the D-League Rio Grande Valley Vipers Sunday, after he spent two games with the team. Motiejunas averaged 24.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in his two games, while shooting 52.8 percent from the field. He will likely work in a reserve role for the Rockets, and it is not clear whether he will join the rotation.
Analysis: Motiejunas is a highly-skilled rookie out of Lithuania who has spent the last few years playing professionally in Europe, so it is little surprise to see him dominate the D-League. The question remains whether he will be able to make an impact in the NBA this season. The Rockets don’t have much of a need at the center position, though their backups leave something to be desired. Motiejunas has some value as a long-term keeper, but Fantasy owners should not expect much from him in yearly leagues.
News: Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas made his NBA debut Saturday and finished with three points during Houston's 96-82 win over Detroit on Saturday night. Motiejunas was inactive for the first five games of the season before logging five minutes against the Pistons and connecting on his only field-goal attempt and 1 of 2 from the free-throw line. He also managed to pick up two personal fouls in his limited playing time.
Analysis: Motiejunas was actually the Rockets' first-round draft pick in 2011, but elected to spent the season in Europe during the NBA lockout. The 7-footer returned for the 2012-13 campaign, but hasn't been able to crack the rotation in the early part of the season. He might have a difficult time finding playing time in crowded Houston frontcourt and is not a worthwhile Fantasy option at this point until he earns more minutes.
News: The Rockets announced Friday the signing of 2011 first-round pick Donatas Motiejunas, who spent the 11-12 season playing in Europe for Polish League champion Asseco Prokom Gdynia. The Rockets selected the seven-footer with the 20th pick in the draft last year.
Analysis: Motiejunas is a very intriguing prospect, and he took his game to another level in the 2011-12 Euroleague tournament, average 12.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He shot 43.6 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from three-point range, both of which were up from his 2010-11 Euro performance, so the 21-year-old seems to be improving. The transition to the NBA level will likely be tough, especially on an Rockets team that already has some options in the front court, however he is worth a flier on Drafty Day in long-term Fantasy keeper leagues.
News: Rockets rookie F Donatas Motiejunas is electing to spend the 2011-12 season playing professionally in Europe with Asseco Prokom Gdynia in Poland, and will not join Houston for the season. The Rockets acquired Motiejunas in a Draft Day trade with the Timberwolves, who selected the seven-foot tall Lithuanian with the 20th pick in the first round.
Analysis: Motiejunas is an intriguing prospect for the Rockets, with three-point range and good skill for his size. He was not likely to receive much playing time in the 2011-12 season, even with the lack of depth in the Rockets' frontcourt, and should have no value in Fantasy leagues for the upcoming season, even if he does opt out of his contract.
