Now that the Clippers’ 2020 season has reached its disappointing end, 213Hoops will work through the roster player-by-player for our “Exit Interview” series. Today’s exit interview features two-way player Johnathan Motley.

Basic Information

Height: 6’8

Weight: 230 pounds

Position: Power forward/Center

Years in NBA: 3

Age: 25

Key Stats: 2.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.2 steals in 3.2 minutes per game across 13 games played on 73.3/100/71.4 shooting splits.

G-League Stats: 24 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 blocks in 33 minutes per game across 26 games on 51.8/35.6/75.3 shooting splits.

Contract Status: On the first year of a two-way contract, is out of two-way eligibility (has been on a two-way deal for a total of three seasons).

Expectations

As I wrote back in our check-in on Motley in late June before the NBA returned in the Orlando bubble, expectations were extremely low for Motley. While he’d played in 22 games for the Clippers in the 2019 season, most of those appearances were in garbage time, and with the team now in championship mode, opportunities seemed limited for the Clippers’ two-way player. Motley’s best path to playing time was a trade of Ivica Zubac or Montrezl Harrell, or Zubac regressing – and the opposite happened.

Reality

Motley played just 41 minutes, with none of them coming in the bubble or playoffs. He was firmly out of the rotation the entire season, spending the year in the G-League or planted on the Clippers’ bench. Motley continued to dominate the G-League, putting up truly massive stats, but he’s done that before, and has very little left to prove at that level. Unfortunately, with Zubac taking a step forward, and Harrell proving crucial (in the regular season) off the Clippers’ bench, there were no minutes at center. Nor were there minutes at power forward, with steady veterans like Moe Harkless, Marcus Morris, and JaMychal Green soaking up the minutes there.

So, instead of receiving true NBA rotation minutes for the first time in his career, Motley saw the least amount of action in any of his three seasons in the NBA. It must have been disappointing for him, but there was never any real reason for him to play for the Clippers this year.

Future with Clippers

Motley will probably not return to the Clippers next year. His eligibility for two-way contracts is now up, which means if he is on an NBA roster next year, he will have to be on a “real” deal. Considering that the Clippers have never trusted him enough to play him rotation minutes, it is highly unlikely they will use a full roster spot on him when they will once again have championship aspirations. Ivica Zubac will almost certainly be there as the team’s starting center, and even if Montrezl Harrell leaves in free agency, the Clippers will certainly try to get a veteran reserve to back up Zu. Theoretically Motley could be the 3^rd big, but with the Clippers’ 1^st round pick in 2019, Mfiondu Kabengele, still on a guaranteed deal and with much more upside, it seems unlikely they’d use another precious roster spot on a deep reserve big man.

If this is it for Motley in a Clippers’ uniform, he will probably join the ranks of Clippers’ young guys from the past decade who will be in “Where Are They Now” type posts in the future. Unfortunately, he had almost no chances to make an impact in a Clippers’ jersey, and his ability to stick in the minds of fans will be correspondingly poor. There’s a chance that Motley sticks around the NBA on another team, but at 25 years old, he’s no longer really a prospect, and has still not shown that he can play defense at the NBA level. Maybe a team takes a flier on his scoring ability, but it’s more likely that he goes to Europe, where he will make more money than in the G-League.

Clippers 2020 Exit Interview: Johnathan Motley
Robert Flom

Basic Information

Height: 6’8

Weight: 230 pounds

Position: Power forward/Center

Years in NBA: 1

Age: 25

Key Stats: 2.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.2 steals in 3.2 minutes per game across 13 games played on 73.3/100/71.4 shooting splits.

G-League Stats: 24 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 blocks in 33 minutes per game across 26 games on 51.8/35.6/75.3 shooting splits.

Contract Status: On the first year of a two-way contract, can only be signed to a two-way deal for one more season.

Expectations

After a season of limited NBA playing time, Johnathan Motley and his fans might have hoped that he would receive more minutes in 2020. However, those expectations were dashed with the arrival of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, and the transformation of the Clips into title contenders. Maybe some people thought that Motley could win some minutes at center if Ivica Zubac struggled or Montrezl Harrell was traded, but the Clippers’ depth and starpower afforded virtually no room for fringe players.

Reality

Motley has played far less than even in 2019, scratching together just 41 minutes across 13 games. He’s played the fewest minutes of any player to check into a game for the 2020 Clippers, trailing even raw rookie Mfiondu Kabengele and fellow two-way player Amir Coffey. Motley has been completely relegated to garbage time, lacking the scant legit rotation minutes of the prior year.

Motley has therefore spent the bulk of the year in the G-League. Unfortunately, his numbers in Agua Caliente are somewhat worse than they were a season ago, with only his three-point shooting improving, and all other stats taking a hit. While he was probably never going to receive playing time this year, his failure to step forward in the G-League does not bode well for his NBA future.

Future with Clippers

It’s really tough to say what Motley’s future holds on the Clippers. On one hand, he’s cheap, has shown some legitimate scoring upside with a lot of energy, and is familiar with the team and culture. On the other, his standing as a tweener and poor defense leave a lot to be desired at the next level, and he’s not exactly a young prospect anymore. It’s possible he sticks around the Clips organization as an end-of the-bench guy, but it would not be surprising to see him depart this summer for more playing time or the chance of it somewhere else.

LA Clippers 2019-2020 Check-in: Johnathan Motley
Robert Flom