The Dallas Mavericks have reportedly needed veteran Markieff Morris again for some time. On Saturday, they made it official.
The 34-year-old Morris agreed to return to the Mavericks on a one-year deal, in accordance with Shams Charania of The Athletic, maintaining a veteran chief of their locker room. It gained’t essentially hold Morris on the court docket, the place he’s performed solely 34 video games for the Mavs since coming over within the 2023 commerce that introduced Kyrie Irving to Dallas.
However Dallas isn’t re-signing Morris for his 2.5 factors per recreation and the 15 three-pointers he sank final season. It is bringing him again as a result of the workforce has loads of high quality reserves who can play, however not many veteran leaders. Head coach Jason Kidd even known as Morris, not Irving or Luka Doncic, the workforce’s MVP.
Morris began his profession with the Phoenix Suns earlier than taking part in his finest basketball as the ability ahead for the Washington Wizards, taking part in alongside John Wall and Bradley Beal. He’s performed on six groups since then, profitable a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
However Morris has discovered a house in Dallas, endearing himself to native followers as a result of, regardless of being from Philadelphia, he’s a fan of the Dallas Cowboys. That goes a great distance on a workforce that when fined Darrell Armstrong $1,000 for declaring, “How ‘bout these Redskins?” on an area microphone after Washington defeated the Cowboys in 2005.
The one draw back for Morris was that he couldn’t persuade the Mavericks to additionally usher in his twin brother, Marcus Morris. Markieff introduced he was coming again in July, however expressed hope that the Morris twins can be a package deal deal.
At the very least for now, he’ll be filling the workforce’s final roster spot.
Even when Markieff doesn’t play a single minute, it’s price a veteran’s minimal deal for Dallas to have him within the locker room. In any case, when throwing divergent personalities like Doncic, Irving and Klay Thompson collectively, one can by no means have too many veterans to referee the locker room.
