Ettore Messina has identified in Donatas Motiejunas the right man for the role of Josh Nebo’s replacement. The parties are negotiating, with the Lithuanian player having a guaranteed contract for next season at Monaco and was happy to stay. Instead, the intervention ofOlympia Milan made him waver, also because his agreement with the Monegasques includes an exit option – with the payment of a buyout – to be exercised by July 15. The red and white club hopes to convince the player: BasketNews reported that “Motiejunas has already had a conversation with Ettore Messina and is evaluating the possibility of moving”.
A return to Italy? Born in Kaunas in September 1990, Motiejunas has already played in Italy. Treviso signed him in 2009: he played for Benetton for two years – one on loan in Poland: in 2011 the Minnesota Timberwolves called him with the 20th pick in the NBA Draft (immediately traded to the Rockets). He stayed overseas for five years, with experiences also in New Orleans and San Antonio, and in between also two years in China, where he returned from 2019 to 2021. After the experience in Asia, Monaco brought him back to Europe in 2021.
La scelta di Motiejunas. Milan was looking for a dynamic big man, with centimeters but also able to shoot. The 213cm in this sense has it all: in 2023/24 he averaged 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists in less than 18 minutes per game, with also excellent shooting percentages (60.9% from 2, 37.7% from 3). Messina has put him at the top of the wish list for that role. Also because there are few alternatives: Tibor Pleiss is the most talked about. Meanwhile, the search continues for the guard who will replace Devon Hall, who will probably be chosen calmly after the Summer League.
