It was still Wednesday night in Los Angeles, where Clippers center Marcin Gortat had missed a victory against Phoenix because of back spasms. With no guarantee Gortat would be available in their next game, Thursday in Sacramento, the first-place Clippers sought to bolster their frontcourt depth as a precaution.
Motley picked up the phone and heard Dee Brown, the general manager and director of player programs for the Agua Caliente Clippers, telling him to set an early alarm to leave for the airport. Hours after the 6-foot-10 Motley scored 21 points in a G League game in Canton, Ohio, he took a commercial flight out of Cleveland and, one connection later, arrived at Sacramento International Airport after noon.