Marcus Morris says He's Ready to 'Do the Dirty Work' and Help the Clippers Win
It wasn't hard to see why the LA Clippers traded for Marcus Morris Sr. back in February. He's a two-way talent, a perfect cultural fit and, above all, an upgrade over Maurice Harkless.
It's taken some time for Morris to mesh with the rest of the team, but the stretch forward has looked like a near-seamless fit with the Clippers' starters since the seeding games began late last month.
While it's true he's not putting up the numbers he did earlier in the season with the New York Knicks, that was never meant to be his role in LA. On Thursday, he clarified that point during his Zoom media session.
"I'm not in New York anymore. I know my role on this team. I know what the team needs me to do; whether I have zero or 20 points and we win, that's the biggest goal.
"I'm in a great place with a great organization. I'm taking on whatever role on a nightly basis that's needed, if it's defending, if it's scoring, if it's just being a vocal leader and doing the dirty work, I'm all in."
In 19 games with the Clippers, Morris is averaging 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in just under 29 minutes per contest. He's shot well in the bubble, connecting on 50.0% of his looks from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.
LA has also gone 12-7 with Morris on the roster, with all seven losses decided by less than nine points.
What's most encouraging, though, is how well Morris has played alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The trio is outscoring opponents by 18.6 points per 100 possessions, and that number jumps to 22.0 when you throw Ivica Zubac into the mix.
Morris will be a valuable asset to LA's upcoming postseason run, and potentially future ones as well. The 30-year-old's contract will expire at season's end, and if he helps the team reach the Finals or win the title, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Clippers re-sign him.
At the end of his media session, Morris alluded to LA being a long-term destination for him as well.
"I'm enjoying my time here with the Clippers, and I'm excited to see how long I stay."
