Marcus Morris is not disappointed, but simply lucid about the world of the NBA and its “business”. In his 13th year in the NBA, Markieff's twin brother has already been traded five times and therefore sees a new trade deadline coming, aware that he may still have to pack his bags.
Even if everything is going well for him in Philadelphia, where he comes from, and his contribution to Nick Nurse's system is rather interesting, like his previous outing in Denver on Saturday (17 points), the fact that he arrives in the last year of his contract (at $17.1 million over 2023/24) makes him a perfect bargaining chip. Faced with this possibility, the player simply tries to keep a cool head.
“I just play basketball. It's all part of the business, I understand that. I've been around a long time, so if I attack this situation and feel sorry for myself or say it should never happen or whatever, then I'm naive.”, did he declare. “Being in the NBA for 13 years prepares you for this type of thing. I've been on seven different teams. I was traded several times. I would be naive to act like I was surprised to be traded or other things.”
As the fashionable expression goes, Marcus Morris focuses on what he can control, his basketball and his physical condition in this case, in order to remain efficient for the rest of the season, in Philadelphia or elsewhere.
“To be honest with you, I'm just a pro. So I stay in my usual routine, to keep my body in shape, because no matter where I go, I could always win a team, even if I have to go somewhere else.”he added.
Stay pro and ready
Ironically, it was Daryl Morey, the current president of basketball operations for the Sixers, who traded him during the season for the first time in his career. It was February 2013, during his second NBA season with the Rockets, and Marcus Morris remembers it like it was yesterday, when he learned the news during the warm-up before a match against Brooklyn!
“I'm warming up, doing my little things, and I feel good. They had just traded Patrick Patterson, so I was thinking maybe I was going to start, you know? They call me into the office, as if to tell me that I was going to start. And he told me, 'No, we're going to trade you.' I was like, 'Damn, you just drafted me last season.' I was playing really well, but they still traded me.”
Since this episode, Marcus Morris has learned his lesson, and has tried to find out more about the fate that could be reserved for him. For the moment, it is still difficult to decipher the intentions of the Sixers “front office”.
“I'll ask to see if anything comes up for me.” And if that's the case, then it's like that, whatever team I go to, I will continue to be a professional. I'm not 100% sure of anything. It's my hometown. I like being here. I'm not sure, but I'm prepared for it.”he concluded.
| Marcus Morris | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2011-12 | HOU | 17 | 7 | 29.6 | 11.8 | 75.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 2.4 |
| 2012-13 * | All Teams | 77 | 20 | 42.2 | 36.9 | 56.4 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 7.7 |
| 2012-13 * | HOU | 54 | 21 | 42.8 | 38.1 | 65.3 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 8.6 |
| 2012-13 * | PHX | 23 | 16 | 40.5 | 30.8 | 40.5 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 5.7 |
| 2013-14 | PHX | 82 | 22 | 44.2 | 38.1 | 76.1 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 9.7 |
| 2014-15 | PHX | 81 | 25 | 43.4 | 35.8 | 62.8 | 0.9 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 10.4 |
| 2015-16 | DET | 80 | 36 | 43.4 | 36.2 | 74.9 | 1.1 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 14.1 |
| 2016-17 | DET | 79 | 33 | 41.8 | 33.1 | 78.4 | 1.0 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 14.0 |
| 2017-18 | BOS | 54 | 27 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 80.5 | 0.8 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 13.6 |
| 2018-19 | BOS | 75 | 28 | 44.7 | 37.5 | 84.4 | 1.0 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 1.5 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 14.0 |
| 2019-20 * | All Teams | 62 | 31 | 43.8 | 40.8 | 82.3 | 1.0 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 16.7 |
| 2019-20 * | NYK | 43 | 32 | 44.2 | 43.9 | 82.3 | 1.1 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 19.6 |
| 2019-20 * | LAKE | 19 | 29 | 42.5 | 31.0 | 81.8 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 10.1 |
| 2020-21 | LAKE | 57 | 26 | 47.3 | 47.3 | 82.0 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 13.4 |
| 2021-22 | LAKE | 54 | 29 | 43.4 | 36.7 | 87.2 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 15.4 |
| 2022-23 | LAKE | 65 | 28 | 42.6 | 36.4 | 78.2 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 11.2 |
| 2023-24 | PHL | 34 | 17 | 44.3 | 40.2 | 85.3 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 6.6 |
| Total | 817 | 27 | 43.5 | 37.7 | 77.5 | 0.9 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 12.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
