13-Year NBA Veteran Reaches Free Agency Decision

Former Detroit Pistons forward Markieff Morris has made up his mind about next season.

Feb 12, 2020; Orlando, Florida, USA; Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey huddles with guard Derrick Rose (25) and forward Markieff Morris (88) during the second half against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

A former Detroit Pistons veteran came off the free agency market late last week by making a decision to sign with the Dallas Mavericks.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Markieff Morris is returning to the team he played with for the last two seasons.

In 2022-2023, Morris was part of the blockbuster package that involved a deal between the Mavs and the Brooklyn Nets. As Kyrie Irving’s time in Brooklyn concluded, Morris went along for the ride to Dallas. At this point, they remain on the Mavs.

Morris saw the court for eight games with the Mavs two seasons ago. Last year, he came off the bench for all but one of the 26 games he played. Averaging eight minutes of playing time, Morris produced just three points per game on 34 percent shooting.

When the playoffs rolled around, Morris appeared in just one game throughout the Mavs’ title run, which stopped short in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

The veteran leadership Morris brought to the table in Dallas was strong enough to net the veteran a short-term offer, according to Charania. He won’t be joining a ninth team after all.

The Pistons were part of Morris’ journey in 2019. After having runs with the Washington Wizards and the OKC Thunder in 2018-2019, Morris signed with the Pistons in the offseason. He appeared in 44 games, averaging 23 minutes of action. Morris produced 11 points per game while shooting nearly 40 percent from three.

In February of 2020, Morris and the Pistons agreed to part ways via buyout. Not long after he moved on, Morris agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers for the remainder of the season. The Lakers went on to win the 2020 NBA Finals during a season that halted more than halfway through.

At this point, Morris’ vocal leadership is his strongest suit. While his playing time has been limited to under ten minutes on average this past season, Morris has more than enough experience to play a reserve role if called on. Throughout his career, the former first-round pick has appeared in over 770 games, picking up nearly 380 starts.

The former Piston hopes to find championship success once again while on the defending Western Conference Champions.