Former Sixer Puts Together Solid Debut With Rival Team

Marcus Morris had a decent debut with a Philadelphia 76ers rival.

Since the Philadelphia 76ers parted with multiple players in the trade market this year, just two of the five players they sent packing have suited up and played.

On Monday night, Marcus Morris became the third, finally debuting with a new team after spending the past month on the free agency market.

Suiting up for the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first time in his career, Morris collected nearly 20 minutes off the bench in his first set of action. 

As the Cavs faced the Indiana Pacers, Morris came off the bench and shot an efficient 5-7 from the field. All but two of his shots came from beyond the arc, and he found success on four of those attempts from deep. Morris produced 14 points, leading the Cavs’ bench in his debut. He also totaled four rebounds on the glass.

The Cavs managed to advance to 43-25 on the year by defeating the Pacers 108-103. Everything went right for Morris, who is looking to make Cleveland his temporary home for the remainder of the 2023-2024 NBA season.

When Morris inked a deal with the Cavs late last week, he agreed to a 10-Day contract. Before March wraps up, the Cavs will have to decide whether he’s worth a one-year deal or not.

Cleveland serves as Morris’s third team this season. He started the year off as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. As it was clear Morris wanted a fresh start, he was included in the late-October trade between the Clippers and the Sixers, which sent him packing to his hometown.

Playing in Philly professionally was a dream come true for Morris. Unfortunately, the dream was short-lived. After 37 appearances in a Sixers uniform, Morris found himself dealt away to the San Antonio Spurs in a three-team trade, which also included the Pacers. 

Being that the Spurs were headed towards another playoff absence, they did Morris a favor and waived him. At first, Morris was reportedly considering joining the Minnesota Timberwolves. While that scenario evidently fell through, Morris landed with the Cavaliers weeks later.

If all goes well over the next week and a half, Morris could be a key contributor on a potential playoff opponent for Philadelphia next month.