REPORTING: Morris, a former KU forward, puts on a fantastic final game of the season and is getting ready to enter free agency.
Marcus Morris, 34, a 13-year veteran who has played for eight clubs, will be available for free agency this NBA offseason. He was formerly a forward for Kansas. The 6-foot-8, 220-pound Philadelphia power forward can demonstrate his potential worth to a team without having to delve too far into his personal records.
In his last game of the 2023–24 season, he provides proof that he is still talented and could be worth a one- or two-year contract. Morris played 33 minutes on Wednesday in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 113-98 season-ending defeat to the Boston Celtics in Game Five of a second-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Morris scored 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting and grabbed three rebounds. Morris did not see action in Game 4 due to the coach’s decision; he has only played 30 minutes in the Cavs’ previous four postseason games.
As Morris shot 5-of-6 from three-point range in Game 5, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff—who some think is under pressure heading into the postseason—may be regretting not playing Morris more against the Celtics.
Four games to one, the Celtics prevailed in the series. Morris stated, “I honestly expected to play a little bit more, not just today but throughout the series.” Morris has not yet declared if he intends to rejoin the NBA for the 14th season. Following the Boston defeat on Wednesday, he talked with reporters.
“I felt like I could have made a bigger impact on the game and helped the team,” he remarked. But simply remaining prepared and a veteran. That has always been who I have been since entering the league: professional and always prepared. Then, being able to contribute and support my team when it’s my turn. Morris was traded to San Antonio after beginning the season with Philadelphia. Morris, the twin brother of Dallas Mavericks guard Markieff Morris, signed a 10-day deal with the Cavaliers after being dropped by the Spurs. And he signed on for the remainder of the season after that contract ended. In the first two games of a first-round series Cleveland won 4-3 over Orlando, Morris did not get any playing time. In Game 3, he played for nine minutes, and in Game 4, for five. The Cavs started the series 2-0 but lost both games.
In Game 5, Bickerstaff used Morris for 26 minutes. In response, he scored 12 points as the Cavs won. In 26 minutes during the Cavaliers’ Game 6 loss, he finished with two points and eight rebounds. Seven minutes went by during which he failed to score in a decisive Game 7 victory over the Magic. Following Game 5 of the Orlando series, Morris remarked, “I worked my (tail) off for moments like this.” As a 13-year veteran, I therefore invested a lot of time during the year in my physical and mental well-being in order to be able to enter the game and simply support the team. Morris really turns in one of his better performances in a postseason game during the Celtics series elimination game. With 25 points, he tied for the second-most in a postseason game of his career.
On June 16, 2021, he scored 25 points in a Los Angeles Clippers game against the Utah Jazz. In the Clippers’ postseason game against the Phoenix Suns on June 30, 2021, he scored a career-high 26 points. Morris, who turns 35 on September 2, assured reporters, “I’m not that old.” In regards to his postseason duty, he continued, “To be honest, it was a little hard.” He said, “I haven’t not played before.” “I haven’t really touched the floor (a lot throughout the playoffs) until this point. It wasn’t too easy. I was aware that I could contribute in any way—physically, as a veteran, with my voice, or in some other way. I simply continued working and kept my head clear. We moved around the gym every day, so that helped me maintain my form.
After three seasons at KU, Morris was selected by Houston with the 14th overall choice in the 2011 NBA Draft. In reality, he played for the Celtics in the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons. After the game on Wednesday, Morris remarked of the Celtics, “A couple years back, being a part of this team, with a lot of the guys that actually are here now, they’ve got some great players.” “They own a few dogs. They are undoubtedly well-suited to succeed, in my opinion. When Kristaps Porzingis returns, they should pose a threat for the remainder of the playoffs. During the Miami series in the first round, Porzingis sustained a calf injury.
Cleveland defeated Morris’ Celtics squad in seven games in 2018. Jayson Tatum, a star player for the Celtics, was a rookie in 2017–18. With regards to Tatum’s growth, Morris remarked, “I think it’s just more than this year.” “He has acted really hostile. He’s taking the lead. It’s enjoyable to observe him develop. Simply getting to know him when he was a rookie and witnessing how swiftly things changed. Regarding Morris’ future, Bickerstaff seems to support the veteran player going back to Cleveland. Morris might be at a point in his career where he decides to sign a one-season, veterans minimum deal.
Bickerstaff said SI.com, “He just brings a level of respect that there may be only five to ten guys that carry in this league.” “He can play with a ferocity and a no-nonsense mentality, but you have to balance that with a skill set that includes his ability to create shots and put the ball in the hoop. People pay attention to him when he speaks since he is a quiet person. Added to news-herald.com by Bickerstaff: Many of the guys in this league just talk a lot without offering any evidence to support it. Marcus has the guts to persevere through any challenge and is prepared to stake everything on the line.Whatever you do, make the pass, take the shot, box out. He won’t back down in the heat of the moment, and his words are sincere. He is well-respected and well-liked in the league, and people pay attention to him.
