"Not quite a month after the Rockets put one of the all-time great power forwards on their bench, they spent the draft getting Kevin McHale company.

The Rockets drafted two power forwards, selecting Kansas' Marcus Morris with the 14th pick and then moving up to the 20th selection to pick Benetton Treviso's Donatas Motiejunas.

Neither is in the McHale mold. The 6-9 Morris could switch to small forward, and the Rockets believe he is suited to defending at either forward spot. Motiejunas, 20, from Lithuania, is more of a long-range shooter than McHale needed to be. But wherever they fit, the Rockets altered their frontcourt Thursday.

They had other plans, too. They worked on deals to move up for Jonas Valunciunas, who went fourth, and Bismack Biyombo, selected seventh. The Rockets had a deal with Detroit for the eighth pick had Biyombo slipped further. They were close to a deal for Golden State center Andris Biedrins.

"We really like Marcus Morris. We think he was one of the top players in the draft, skilled at both ends," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. "He can play the four or a power three, can defend two positions. We're thrilled to get Motiejunas — really upside, really mobile, somebody already very skilled offensively. Has a great low-post game. Has a perimeter offensive game as well and can move his feet really well on the defensive end. We need to continue to try to upgrade the talent on our team. I hope to have the day I need to add this position or that position, and we're good. Right now, we need to just get the best players we can."

Morris, the Big 12 Player of the Year, averaged 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds last season and was a second-team All-American.

Motiejunas is a lefthanded 7-footer with 3-point range. He is considered a smooth scorer inside, a skill likely to earn much of McHale's attention as he works to become a consistent rebounder. He averaged 10.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 27.4 minutes in 16 Eurocup games last season.

To move up to get Motiejunas, the Rockets sent the 23rd pick acquired from Phoenix, the 38th pick and a future Memphis first-round pick. That selection was lottery-protected from 2013 to 2016. It would then convert to a second-round pick."