It seems as if the New York Knicks actually do have some pull in free agency, as they’re nearing a deal to pull Marcus Morris away from the San Antonio Spurs after already having an agreement in place.
While Morris is no Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, he’s an extremely physical player in the paint and can make an influence for the Knicks in 2019. After restructuring Reggie Bullock’s deal, the team is in a position to offer $15 million-per-year to Morris, a bit more than the Spurs were offering.
While there is optimism that Morris will stick to his original plan of signing with San Antonio, it’s not off the table that he will elect to take his talents to New York.
Last season, he averaged 13.9 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Celtics and his defensive rebound totals per game have been increasing consistently over the past three years.
Adding Morris to a free agent class including Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton, Bobby Portis, and Wayne Ellington, surely helps sooth the minds of Knicks fans still feeling the hangover from the Brooklyn Nets superstar festival.
My question is — will Marcus steal playing time away from the Knicks youth?
I believe that head coach David Fizdale is keen on keeping his youngsters on the court and providing them with ample opportunity to succeed and progress. Of course, RJ Barrett will be a starter along with Mitchell Robinson, Dennis Smith Jr., and Damyean Dotson, but where will Marcus fit in?
The Knicks have gone on a power forward signing spree, but Marcus will likely take playing time away from Bobby Portis down low, which is acceptable. While the forward is efficient in the paint, he’s also a proficient shooter, connecting on 37.5 percent of shots from three-point land.
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It’s likely he could pass on the Spurs’ deal of two-years, $20 million in a favor of a one-year, $15 million deal with the Knicks. In fact, if he’s confident in his abilities, there should be no question in coming to the Big Apple.
His skill-set would be a big boost for the team, but I don’t believe it would be enough to help the Knicks to a playoff appearance. They’re simply still too young and don’t have a consistent point guard to lead the offense. There are still too many question marks that need answers and unproven talent. Morris will help, but not that much.