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The Clippers are fighting back … sort of. After rival Lakers Crosstown signed their former sixth man Montrezl Harrell, the Clippers responded by retaining forward Marcus Morris Sr. on a four-year, $ 64 million contract. reports Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN.
Morris was acquired by the Clips in a mid-season trade with the Knicks earlier this year. A career three-point shooter at 36.7 percent, Morris averaged 10.1 points per game for the Clippers in 2020, slightly improving that average to 11.8 in the playoffs. Note the signature.
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Grade: C
Morris is a useful player at both ends of the floor. He can be a ball blocker on offense, although he seems to know his role alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Still, he can shoot three-way and create for himself in a pinch. Defensively, his size and athleticism make him versatile. Morris won’t close the elite perimeter wings, but he can cause them enough trouble on nights when Kawhi and PG are resting or dealing with someone else. There is value in that. And it’s absolutely worth noting that LA’s starting roster with Morris – a group that also included Kawhi, PG, Ivica Zubac and Patrick Beverly – posted a net rating of plus-22.9. Playing this quintet in the future wouldn’t be a bad place for new head coach Ty Lue.
But this deal comes with caveats. Morris is 31, and the deal takes him well beyond the contracts of Leonard and George (who can retire next summer), as well as Beverly and Lou Williams. Will management want Morris to be present if this nucleus somehow explodes? It’s also not like the Clips have such a desperate need for perimeter defense or shooting that they have to commit so strongly to a player who isn’t necessarily an integral part of their success. And at the end of their streak against the Nuggets, Morris wasn’t exactly an overwhelmingly positive force, whether it was angering Paul Millsap or looking shy on offense.
In the end, the Clippers proved they can be a really successful outfit with Morris on the floor. Its presence should not actively harm the product in the field. But this deal, from a purely managerial standpoint, seems a bit too long and a bit too rich for someone whose skills are not at a premium in their current situation.
More free agency notes:
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