DMo a no-show to today's physical

So, does leaving him hanging on the offer sheet preclude the Rockets from having a 15th player on their roster?

 

If it is true that Utah is NOW offering more, BJ Armstrong is the worst agent of all time. During all of this I thought something else might be going on, DMo being butthurt or something but that eliminates all doubt. It is impossible to not have all the best offers on the table and be a competent agent.

This guy makes Andre Johnson's uncle look like Scott Boras.

 

I'm sick of anyone named BJ - if you ask my opinion, we're attracting the wrong kind of BJs.

 

Technically it should not until he was signed.

Its just a basic respect to waive Bobby yesterday to clear the room as a sign of the Rox preparing to sign him.

But for now? Until he will clear the forking physical, the Rox can still fill the roster up.

 

I agree that in general, agents are scumbags. However, in the case of most super-agents, grievances they have with the team are usually not aired so publicly. They understand, just as much as the team does, that public perception is everything, and that both parties should come out smelling like a rose at the end. Sure, negotiations can get ugly, but at the end of it, there is still a line of professionalism that never gets crossed. In this case, Armstrong has basically taken the fight to the public, and is trying to paint the Rockets as bad guys by holding his client hostage. It's a nasty thing to do, especially when the Rockets have done nothing other than business as usual.

 

they want to make history.

 

Too bad we only have Costco in Houston, I have seen BJ's having some awesome deals in TVs.

 

Again, my gut says you're right that this fight is different, but how much of that may be colored by our Rockets Red glasses that we see this whole situation through. I don't know the answer to that question, but I'm sure that we have significant bias when we look at these shenanigans.

 

But the rockets didn't do anything. they matched an offer that was signed, that was it. Now the other side is crying foul because we matched?

 

Bwhahaha and this clown doesn't show up because a physical is required. Again the Rockets are to blame here. They should have let that buster bounce. Bleep him

 

Larry Coon:
What is Motiejunas doing?
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As reported by Yahoo! Sports, Donatas Motiejunas has refused to report to the Rockets for a physical exam.

Motiejunas is the Rockets’ restricted free agent. He signed an offer sheet with the Nets on December 2, which starts a 72-hour clock for the Rockets to match. If the Rockets match, they keep Motiejunas on the same principal terms as Brooklyn’s offer sheet. If the Rockets don’t match, the offer sheet becomes a contract with the Nets.

The Rockets chose to match on December 5, by issuing a First Refusal Exercise Notice. A team is allowed to condition its exercise of first refusal rights on the player passing a physical exam, and apparently the Rockets did just that. The player is required to report for his physical within two days, and must comply with the process.

However, Motiejunas and his agent, B.J. Armstrong, apparently have other ideas. As reported by Yahoo!, Motiejunas is refusing to report for his physical. And here’s where it gets weird:


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Motiejunas' agent, B.J. Armstrong: "We have our rights. We're not going to show up. We'll see what happens. We'll see what the Rockets do."

1:01 PM - 6 Dec 2016

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I’m not entirely sure what “rights” Armstrong is referring to. The rules for restricted free agency are laid out pretty clearly in the CBA, and the players (collectively) agreed to those rules. Trying to get out of that arrangement goes against the spirit, intent and letter of restricted free agency, to which the players agreed.

Here’s the rule I’m referring to. I’m assuming that Houston’s qualifying offer was properly executed, Brooklyn’s offer sheet was properly executed, Houston’s first refusal exercise notice was properly executed, and that Houston conditioned its first refusal exercise notice on Motiejunas passing a physical:

(h) Any Team may condition its First Refusal Exercise Notice on the player reporting for and passing, in the sole discretion of the Team, a physical examination to be conducted by a physician designated by the Team within two (2) days from its exercise of the Right of First Refusal. In connection with the physical examination, the player must supply all information reasonably requested of him, provide complete and truthful answers to all questions posed to him, and submit to all examinations and tests requested of him. In the event the player does not pass the physical examination: (i) the ROFR Team may withdraw its First Refusal Exercise Notice within two (2) days following the date upon which such physical examination is conducted; and (ii) if the First Refusal Exercise Notice is withdrawn, the player and the New Team shall be deemed to have entered into a Player Contract in accordance with the provisions of Section 5(f) above. In the event the player does not submit to the requested physical examination within two (2) days of the exercise of the Right of First Refusal then, until such time as the player submits to the requested physical examination and is notified of the results, the ROFR Team’s conditional First Refusal Exercise Notice shall remain in effect, except that the ROFR Team may elect at any time to withdraw its First Refusal Exercise Notice, which shall have the effect of invalidating the Offer Sheet and causing the Team that issued the Offer Sheet to be prohibited from signing or acquiring the player for a period of one (1) year from the date the First Refusal Exercise Notice was withdrawn. If the player does not submit to the requested physical examination on or before March 1, the Offer Sheet shall be deemed invalid and the Team that issued the Offer Sheet shall be prohibited from signing or acquiring the player for a period of one (1) year from such March 1.

So, summarizing what the rule says:

1. Houston is allowed to make its first refusal exercise notice contingent on Motiejunas passing a physical.
2. The player must submit to and cooperate with his physical, which is to take place within two days of the exercise of the first refusal exercise notice.
3. If Motiejunas doesn’t report for his physical, Houston’s first refusal exercise notice remains in effect until he does.
4. However, Motiejunas’ refusal to submit for his physical gives the Rockets the option of withdrawing its first refusal exercise notice.
5. If the Rockets withdraw its first refusal exercise notice, it invalidates Brooklyn’s offer sheet as well, and Motiejunas returns to restricted free agency.
6. If the first refusal exercise notice is withdrawn, Brooklyn’s offer sheet is invalidated and Motiejunas returns to restricted free agency, Brooklyn can’t sign or acquire him for one year.

So the Rockets have two options at this point. First, they can just sit tight. Their first refusal exercise notice remains in effect until Motiejunas decides to report. He can’t sign or play anywhere else, including Brooklyn, in the meantime.

Second, the Rockets could withdraw its first refusal exercise notice, putting Motiejunas right back where he started — except Brooklyn is no longer an option. And if he doesn’t sign with the Rockets directly, or sign an offer sheet with another team in the meantime, then the Rockets can issue another qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent in 2017.

And it could get worse for him. The CBA also says a player shall not receive credit for a year of service for any year in which he “…withholds playing services called for by a Player Contract or this Agreement for more than thirty (30) days after the Season begins.” It’s important to note here that the rules for restricted free agency say that when a team issues a first refusal exercise notice, the player and team “…shall be deemed to have entered into a Player Contract.” Motiejunas is, for all intents and purposes, under contract with the Rockets now, and the Rockets have all the rules related to player discipline for failure to report at their disposal (along with the right to kick him to the curb by withdrawing their first refusal exercise notice).

This all seems pretty clear to me, so I’m still not sure what “rights” Armstrong is referring to. Maybe his end game is to get the Rockets to withdraw its first refusal exercise notice, and then Armstrong and the Rockets negotiate a separate contract that is more favorable to Motiejunas. But why should the Rockets let a player leverage them into signing a different contract that’s less favorable to the team, when the team holds all the cards here?

Armstrong isn’t exercising a right. He’s trying to strong-arm a team.

 

The Rockets finally have team chemistry, and they cannot afford to risk losing it on a backup player with a questionable back.

 

I saw someone else also mention a phone call or something?

I missed it, story? Mike called Donatas & he didn't answer?

 

J.R. missed on some news? Could this situation get any crazier?

 

No Rocket glasses here. This is all pretty straightforward. This is what is supposed to happen. It was agreed upon by the players. The Rockets said "here is what we think the market is for your services. If you think that is too low you are more than welcome to find something better at which point we will either admit we were wrong and pay you the higher salary, or let the other team do it." That's the way the rules are written.

It took his agent 6 months to do what most others did in two weeks. He negotiated a pretty poor contract for his client considering and now is making them both look bad. If I were the Rockets, I would make no further comments and just let BJ keep digging a hole.

 

A question here from someone who dosent understand Restricted Free Agency. Could we sign and trade him?

 

It has nothing to do with physical. He just doesn't want to be here.

 

More DMO threads today. At this point I don't even wish this guy is on the team even if he can't contribute.
He just really want out.