Knicks Make Smart Call With Marcus Morris

Marcus Morris could be a sneaky good signing for the New York Knicks.

Jeremy Brener | Sep 17, 2024

Jan 23, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Marcus Morris Sr. (8) controls the ball against New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks made a small move to their roster by signing Marcus Morris to an Exhibit 9 contract.

Morris' Exhibit 9 deal is a one-year, non-guaranteed deal, so he may not end up making it on the 15-man roster at the start of the season, but he will be with the team for training camp when it begins in two weeks' time.

Adding a veteran like Morris to the mix is good for a number of reasons, and it's possible that he may have been the optimal player to sign if the Knicks wanted to bring someone in.

Morris, 35, is in the twilight of his NBA career, but he still can bring a lot to the table. Last year, he played 12 games for the playoff-bound Cleveland Cavaliers after he was traded by the Philadelphia 76ers to the rebuilding San Antonio Spurs, who bought him out of his contract.

Morris was able to bring some playoff experience to the Cavs, and he ended up playing some key minutes in the rotation when players were sidelined due to injury. That's a role he could adopt if he stayed on with the Knicks.

Morris won't be part of the Knicks rotation unless something drastic happened, and if he is called upon, he would be someone that coach Tom Thibodeau trusts. Morris is a hard-nosed player that subscribes to many of Thibodeau's philosophies. He plays with a certain veteran grit that is hard to find in younger players and it's something that cannot be taught.

While he may not be in his prime anymore, Morris could be a sneaky good value signing if the Knicks find themselves struggling with injuries like they have in the past. And if it doesn't work out? The Knicks don't assume any risk and they move forward with the rest of their crew.

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Published Sep 17, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.