Cavaliers forward Marcus Morris was given the keys to Philadelphia earlier this season. Seriously.
Then the 76ers traded him. Worse, they traded him to the San Antonio Spurs, who despite the presence of rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, are headed nowhere fast.
Morris, 34, is at the stage of his career where he wants to compete for something — the playoffs, a Cinderella run, maybe a title. So the Spurs waived him, opening the door for him to sign with the Cavs as a free agent.
So you could understand if Morris was annoyed with his hometown organization in Philadelphia. But that has not been the case, he insisted.
“I built a really good relationship with those guys,” Morris said of the Sixers, via Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “A lot of good things happened for me and my family while I was there. … They actually did me a favor by bringing me home, giving me an opportunity to check off something on my bucket list. “
“I’m happy for them. Still watch them. I still connect with those guys. And I’m rooting for them — just not against us.”
Morris was signed to a 10-day contract by the Cavs on March 18. It expired and then the Cavs signed him for the rest of the season. He’s brought a veteran presence and an edge. The Cavs (45-29) are grateful he became available.
“When he speaks, because he’s a quiet person; people listen,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “That’s invaluable for us, as we continue to kind of grow through this and try to get [to] the steps that we’re looking for.”
The Cavs beat the Sixers on Friday and are now heading West, starting with the world-champion Denver Nuggets. Soon, it will be the playoffs, and the possibility remains that the Cavs and Sixers could meet again there. That might be a little more special for the likes of Morris and Georges Niang, who played for Philly last season.
Either way, the Cavs are banking on those former Sixers to help take them places and have reasons to believe that they can.
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