Knicks reunite with Marcus Morris Sr. on Exhibit 9 deal to compete for final roster spot

Marcus Morris Sr. is a Knick once again.

The team announced Morris signed an Exhibit 9 contract Sunday, which brings the veteran forward back to the city where he played 43 games during the 2019-20 season.

An Exhibit 9 contract, however, is a non-guaranteed, one-year deal that protects the team in case of a significant injury to the player.

Marcus Morris Sr. spent part of last season with the 76ers.
Marcus Morris Sr. spent part of last season with the 76ers. AP

This was another depth move for the Knicks, who also signed Landry Shamet to an Exhibit 9 contract as another guard to compete for a roster spot and address an area of need that was exposed during their postseason run last year.

The two will likely battle it out for the final spot, with most of the roster — and the top spots in the rotation — already set with the Knicks’ returning core.

Morris, a 13-year veteran, averaged 19.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in his first go-around with the Knicks.

He collected at least 20 points 25 times during his stint with the team, including a season-best 38 during a Jan. 5 loss to the Clippers.

After 43 games, the Knicks traded the Philadelphia native in a three-team deal with the Wizards, and he ended up in Los Angeles.

The 35-year-old split 49 games between the 76ers and the Cavaliers last season, averaging 6.4 points.

Marcus Morris Sr. spent part of the 2019-20 season with the Knicks.
Marcus Morris Sr. spent part of the 2019-20 season with the Knicks. AP

He was originally a first-round pick in the 2011 draft, and he has also played for the Rockets, Suns, Pistons and Celtics before signing as a free agent with the Knicks ahead of the 2019-20 season.

In July, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the 76ers were interested in bringing back Morris after they landed Paul George — Morris’ former teammate with the Clippers — on a four-year, $212 million max deal in free agency.

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