Marcus Morris Sr. is signing an Exhibit 9 contract with the New York Knicks. The Knicks announced this via a press release on their social media. An Exhibit 9 contract effectively serves as an invite to training camp, as the Knicks look to scout Morris Sr. as a low-cost veteran option for them heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.
Morris Sr., who is now 35 years old, is coming off a stint with the Philadelphia 76ers. The stint wasn't particularly noteworthy, as Morris is now an older player who is not relied upon to deliver minutes similar to those he did during the early days of his NBA career. But his veteran experience could be very useful to the Knicks.
Morris Sr. averaged just 16 minutes per game last season, delivering 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game. He joined the 76ers last season as part of a trade deal to send James Harden to the Clippers.
Many fans believe Morris Sr. had the best year of his career with the Knicks. Playing with them in the 2019-20 NBA season, Morris put up 19.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. Him putting up All-Star caliber numbers, albeit on the team with one of the worst records in the NBA, caught the eyes of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Morris Sr. only played 49 games with the Knicks, before being traded to the Clippers in February 2020. The move was done to help further bolster the Clippers' roster in their hunt for an NBA championship. Taking a backseat to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Morris Sr.'s numbers went down, but he became a valuable piece for the team.
Morris Sr. Couldn't Elevate Clippers To Championship
Marcus Morris Sr. and the Clippers would enter the NBA bubble in Orlando as one of the favorites to win the NBA championship. However, the team would capitulate under the stress of the circumstances, blowing a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets and getting eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
While the Clippers would reach the NBA Western Conference Finals the following year, their injury-depleted roster held them back greatly, as they lost to the Phoenix Suns in what was a contentious series. They missed out on the playoffs the following season and then got eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2023 and 2024.
For Morris Sr., this will be a chance for him to return to the franchise where he found the most success individually. With the Knicks needing some veteran experience to aid their talented, yet young roster, Morris Sr. can be a great culture setter for the franchise, and be relied upon to play small minutes during the regular season.
Of course, there is no guarantee that the Knicks extend a contract offer to him at the end of training camp. For Morris Sr., this will be his chance to impress the Knicks coaching staff and earn another contract in the league.
