Unable to land deals in the NBA, free-agent forward Donatas Motiejunas and point guard Ty Lawson have decided to join the Shandong Golden Stars of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). According to Lithuanian news outlet 15min.lt, the 26-year-old Motiejunas agreed to a $3 million contract while Lawson signed a deal worth $2.4 million, excluding bonuses, with the Golden Stars.
It’s unclear if the deals signed by Motiejunas and Lawson have an NBA opt-out clause. However, the CBA season ends during the latter half of the NBA season so they can join a playoff contender after their China stint.
The 26-year-old Motiejunas played 34 games last season for the New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 4.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Before last season, the Brooklyn Nets offered Motiejunas a four-year, $37 million deal but it was matched by the Houston Rockets.
However, the Rockets pulled their offer and let Motiejunas hit the open market. The Pelicans signed him in January but the arrival of DeMarcus Cousins further reduced his minutes. Earlier, he expressed interest in joining the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz and the Washington Wizards but he never received any offer.
Lawson joins Motiejunas in China
Despite averaging 9.9 points and 4.8 assists per game last season for the Sacramento Kings, Lawson failed to draw any solid interest in the free-agent market.
The Pelicans earlier tried to connect with Lawson but they never reached an agreement, forcing him to sign a deal in China. An 18th overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 Draft, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets where he played for six years. He signed with the Houston Rockets before playing for the Indiana Pacers and the Kings.
In 10 NBA seasons, Lawson has averaged 12.6 points and 6.0 assists.
Tyler Hansbrough to play in China
Former NBA forward Tyler Hansbrough also signed a deal to play with the Guangzhou Lions. Last season, Hansbrough played with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the G-League as part of his attempt to return to the NBA. However, NBA teams were not convinced to sign him to a deal despite averaging 17.6 points and 12.2 rebounds.
Despite being a promising college star, the 31-year-old Hansbrough never made a mark in the NBA. He suited up for the Indiana Pacers from 2009-13, the Toronto Raptors from 2013 to 2015 and with the Charlotte Hornets during the 2015-16 season. In his NBA career, he averaged 6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.