Marcus Morris has returned to the Knicks on a one-year deal according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, with the veteran forward making a return to Madison Square Garden. He spent half a season with New York during the 2019-2020 season, being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers and returning some key draft capital. The Knicks continue to fill out their bench with more depth as they bring in a forward who can space the floor and provide a veteran presence. He played for the Cavaliers and 76ers last season, shooting 40.3% from downtown on 2.4 attempts per game.
The Knicks improve their bench and add even more size as he stands in at 6’8, with fans also viewing Morris favorably after his incredible stint a few years ago.
Marcus Morris Returns to the Knicks On a One-Year Contract
The Knicks are going to add some much-needed shooting depth as Marcus Morris has been an excellent three-point weapon for various contenders. Last season with Cleveland and Philadelphia the 34-year-old averaged 6.4 points per game on 55.8% True Shooting, as he was a bench scorer who could space the floor for two different contenders. Defense is not his strong suit at this stage of his career, but the Knicks are improving on the scoring side of the ball.
While New York has a lot of questions about who will find playing time and how injuries ate their roster alive last postseason adding competent forward depth is important, especially given the questions around their depth behind Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle.
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According to Ian Begley of SNY, the Knicks view him more as a 4 or a stretch 5, which allows them to be more creative with their center rotations. Some have speculated whether Julius Randle could get some minutes as the center when they don’t have Mitchell Robinson on the court, and having Morris alongside Randle would potentially give them enough size to survive for some minutes.
Precious Achiuwa is slated as the backup five for this roster, but his lack of size and spacing create some noted complications for the postseason. The Knicks may not use Morris as a key part of their team, but if he can contribute early-on he fits the mold of a player who can graduate into a greater role. After signing Landry Shamet yesterday, the Knicks have improved the margins of their roster.