The L.A. Clippers have acquired forward Johnathan Motley from the Dallas Mavericks, along with the draft rights to guard Renaldas Seibutis, in exchange for the draft rights to forward Maarty Leunen and cash considerations.
Motley, 23, appeared in 11 games for Dallas on a two-way contract last season, averaging 8.7 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 53.3 percent from the field in 16.0 minutes. The 6’10”, 230-pound forward also appeared in 34 games for the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, averaging 22.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting 56.5 percent from the field in 32.5 minutes. He was named a 2018 G League All-Star and was selected to the Second-team All-NBA G League. A native of Houston, Texas, Motley spent three collegiate seasons at Baylor University, where he was named to the First Team All-Big 12 and won the Karl Malone Award as the nation’s top power forward as a junior.
Leunen (6-9, 220) has spent the last 10 seasons playing professionally overseas (Turkey, Italy and Germany), including the last three with Italy’s S.S. Felice Scandone. In 34 Serie A games for Scandone in 2017-18, he averaged 7.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. In 14 BCL games for Scandone last season, he averaged 7.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.0 steal per contest.
Leunen was selected by Houston in the second round (54th overall pick) of the 2008 NBA Draft after a four-year college career at Oregon (2004-08). On Jan. 22, 2016, his rights were traded to the Clippers in exchange for Josh Smith, the draft rights to Serhiy Lishchuk and cash considerations.
Seibutis (6-5, 180) was selected by Dallas in the second round (50th overall pick) of the 2007 NBA Draft. The Lithuanian guard has been playing professionally overseas since 2002-03. He spent the 2017-18 season with Spain’s Basket Zaragoza.
