The Celtics could be seeing much more of a familiar face this season, this time with a top division rival. The Knicks announced they have signed veteran forward Marcus Morris to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 training camp deal late Sunday. It will be his second stint in New York after playing the first half of the 2019-20 season in the Big Apple before being traded away to the Clippers.
The 35-year-old forward will try to earn a spot on the Knicks off the bench as a sharpshooter off the bench. The team already has 14 players signed to guaranteed deals but also signed veteran guard Landry Shamet to a non-guaranteed deal last week. Morris will compete with Shamet along with forward Chuma Okeke for a final spot on the Knicks bench as they attempt to challenge the Celtics.
Morris bounced around the NBA last season with three different teams. The Clippers traded him to the 76ers in December as part of the James Harden blockbuster deal. Morris was moved again at the trade deadline to the Spurs as part of a three-team deal that landed Buddy Hield in Philadelphia. San Antonio cut Morris and he went on to sign with the Cavs in March and played a meaningful role with the team off the bench during their run to the Eastern Conference Semifinals as injuries popped up. Morris scored 25 points against Boston while knocking down five 3-point attempts in Game 5 in an admirable effort amid the Celtics series clinching win. Morris spent two years in Boston after being acquired via trade in the summer of 2017 before the team elected to let him walk in free agency in 2018.
Overall, Morris logged 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game last year while shooting 40.3 percent from 3-point range with the 76ers, Clippers and Cavaliers. However, his lack of speed and defensive ability has certainly limited his market where he elected to accept a non-guaranteed deal with the Knicks.
Morris won’t have injury protection with an Exhibit 9 contract as he competes for a spot in training camp but could provide some useful spacing for the Knicks second unit with a strong showing during training camp. The team has landed up this offseason after acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Nets but there is not much reliable outside shooting within the front court on the second unit. Morris may end up being a cheap option for Tom Thibodeau on that front as New York tries to keep pace with the Celtics firepower this season.
