Marcus Morris Sr. is back. At least, he's back for now. On Sunday, the 35-year-old agreed to sign an Exhibit 9 deal with the New York Knicks.
Morris spent the first half of the 2019-20 season in New York. He averaged 19.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game for the Knicks, shooting 44.2% from the field and 43.9% from three. The Knicks traded him to the Clippers in a three-team deal at the deadline.
The 2020 first-round pick New York received in the deal turned into Immanuel Quickley. If Morris makes the final roster, he won't get to play alongside IQ. However, he will get to play with OG Anunoby. The Knicks traded for Anunoby without sending the Raptors a first-round pick, which showed how much Toronto valued Quickley in the deal.
Never Forget —
— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) September 15, 2024
• Marcus Morris was traded to the Clippers for a 1st-Round Pick
• That 1st-Round Pick became Immanuel Quickley
• Immanuel Quickley was the main trade piece for OG Anunoby
Now, Morris is back in New York 🔥 https://t.co/HzrhyMVcgE pic.twitter.com/BZ41N8sP28
Knicks signing Marcus Morris Sr. is special for several reasons
When New York traded Quickley and RJ Barrett to Toronto, the Knicks felt the void. The front office traded for Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic before the deadline, but Burks isn't the playmaker that Quickley is. New York addressed its need for another backup point guard in the 2024 draft with Tyler Kolek. The team also signed Cam Payne in free agency.
How special would it be for Morris to contribute to the team he inadvertently helped build? He's one of several players fighting for the Knicks' final roster spot. He has an advantage because New York needs another big after losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency.
It's a bonus that Morris embodies what it means to play in New York. He doesn't back down. The Knicks could benefit from having an enforcer like Morris, although he doesn't need to take things too far and get ejected in another preseason game.
Marcus Morris got ejected in the Knicks' first preseason game. pic.twitter.com/7XAi1Lcoj7
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 8, 2019
Fans appreciate that kind of energy, though. Remember who used to be the first Knick to step up when an opposing player went at one of their teammates? Hartenstein. Morris plays with more fire than Hartenstein, which isn't a shot at the former center. Morris' energy is valuable.
Not only will it be cool to see Morris in a Knicks jersey again during the preseason, but it will be neat to see him share the floor with Anunoby (if he does). If it weren't for the 14-year veteran, Anunoby wouldn't be in New York. The front office had the final say in that decision, but still. It's a full-circle moment for Morris to return to the Knicks over four years after he left.