Frustrated Motiejunas just wants to play

Donatas Motiejunas likes it in Houston, but his top priority is developing as an NBA player

Donatas Motiejunas just wants to play.

“I don’t like to sit on the bench,” said Motiejunas. “No one improves or gets better without playing time.”

The second-year forward out of Lithuania admitted to ClutchFans on Wednesday that his agent Arn Tellem is working with Rockets GM Daryl Morey to find a place where he can play. He called it a “natural thing” and that his agent is just looking out for him.

“It’s still one month or more until the deadline,” said Motiejunas. “Anything can happen. You never know. It’s not up to me.”

Motiejunas said when he signed with the Rockets, it was communicated clearly to him that he would sit his first year — and he expected that.

But this is his second year.

“When you give everything you got, you want to get something back and we are not getting for a long time,” said Motiejunas. “It’s really not easy to just sit and watch when others are playing. I try to stay positive. I try to help the team. I try to be productive in practices. That’s all I can do. That’s all that is in my power and other things are not in my power so I can not be worried about those things.”

The seven-footer said he didn’t feel it was realistic that he could develop and be successful with random spot minutes.

“Right now I don’t feel that I’m improving,” said D-Mo. “I don’t have a game rhythm. It’s not easy when I sit on the bench for that long.”

Motiejunas stressed that if he stays here, he will continue to work hard every day as he has.

“That’s the thing — I like it here,” said Motiejunas. “But it’s not in my control. I think I did everything in my power to get on the court. If it’s not happening then it’s not happening [but] the management, Daryl has to try to find a place where I can develop.”