Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
L.A. Clippers trade for New York Knicks' Marcus Morris Sr.
The L.A. Clippers have struck, and it's clear that the franchise is officially in win-now mode.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Clippers are trading for New York Knicks forward Marcus Morris Sr., who's been playing the best basketball of his career. In exchange for Morris, L.A. is sending Moe Harkless and others to New York.
The other pieces of the package have not yet been confirmed, but early reports indicate that rookies Terance Mann and Mfiondu Kabengele are involved, as well as the Clippers' own 2020 first-round pick.
Morris, 30, has averaged a career-high 19.6 points per game with the Knicks this season while connecting on a blistering 43.9 percent of his attempts from three-point range. He's been one of the league's most accurate high-volume shooters from deep this year, which the Clippers appear to value more than Harkless' defensive versatility.
Now, the franchise will bring in a player it's been targeting for quite some time. In January, Morris confirmed that the Clippers offered him a three-year deal worth $41 million last summer, which he declined to sign a deal that paid more per year with New York.
Morris is on a one-year deal worth $15 million now, which will expire this summer.
Morris will presumably start for the Clippers alongside Patrick Beverley, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac. He'll be one of five players on the roster to average at least 19 points per game this season, along with George, Leonard, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell. As it stands, L.A. is the only team to have five rostered players that fit that condition.
If the Clippers are finished trading, they'll be left with multiple roster spots open following today's deadline, which grants them the opportunity to be active on the buyout market. One potential candidate to be brought in is Darren Collison.
It's unclear if Morris will be able to play for the Clippers this Saturday, when they travel to Minnesota for a meeting with the Timberwolves — another team that will look very different following today's deadline.
Minnesota acquired D'Angelo Russell from the Golden State Warriors earlier this morning in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and future draft selections.
This article will be updated as more information regarding the transaction is confirmed.
UPDATE: In order to complete the trade, the L.A. Clippers have sent Jerome Robinson to the Washington Wizards as well as their 2020 first-round pick. L.A. has received Isaiah Thomas in exchange for Robinson. As it stands, it appears the Clippers will hang on to Mann and Kabengele.
