The New York Knicks have one more roster spot to fill, and they could take a chance on a talented scorer who could fortify their second unit in 2024-25.
The Knicks have made several moves that have strengthened their bench unit this offseason. Knicks president Leon Rose and the front office pulled strings to sign veteran forward Chuma Okeke and combo forward Keita Bates-Diop to address their need for help at the three and the four. The Knicks also lucked up on two backup point guards, one of which being the reliable veteran Cam Payne and the second being their talented second-round pick Tyler Kolek out of Marquette.
While center is the one slot that the Knicks need to round out most before fielding what they hope will be a championship-worthy roster next season, there’s another name floating around free agency that knows a thing or two about playing at Madison Square Garden.
Knicks could add another shot creator in Marcus Morris Sr. this summer
Marcus Morris Sr. is available on the open market this summer. Morris Sr. previously played with the Knicks for 43 games in 2019-20. The 34-year-old made his presence felt in New York, where he averaged a career-high 19.6 points per contest alongside a respectable 5.4 boards while connecting on a superb 43.9 percent of his looks from three-point range. Morris Sr. went from being a quality role-play to what looked like an offensive talent that could shoulder as much as a tertiary role or tertiary workload, contending team.
Most recently, the 6-8, 218-pound forward put up 6.4 points and 2.7 rebounds a night having suited up for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers across 49 total games played in the previous NBA campaign. Though his numbers underwhelmed on the year, he’s only one season removed from averaging double figures in scoring for a Los Angeles Clippers team in 2022-23 that had championship aspirations.
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Morris Sr. could be a high-end insurance option for the Knicks
The Knicks could use a player with his shot-creating ability off the bench alongside talented playmakers Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. The versatile creator would open up looks for three-point marksmen like Miles McBride. Morris Sr. last earned $17.1 million for the Clippers in 2023-24 and $496,001 in his most recent contract with the Cavaliers signed during the previous campaign.
He would be a cost-effective option for the Knicks to take a chance on at the end of their bench and could have a similar effect in high-stakes moments that one Alec Burks had in the 2024 playoffs, particularly in the Knicks’ second-round series against the Indiana Pacers. It remains to be seen what the Knicks will do with their final roster spot. They could go for veteran talent or call up one of their young prospects in the G league as the offseason draws on.
