5:31pm: The Spurs have officially waived Morris, the team announced in a press release.
4:07pm: Marcus Morris and the Spurs have agreed to a buyout, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets.
Morris will hit the waiver wire before the Friday night deadline for free agents to be eligible for the postseason. He can now look for an opportunity to join a playoff contender.
Morris was dealt from Philadelphia to San Antonio at the trade deadline in a three-team swap involving the Sixers, Pacers and Spurs. It was expected he’d get a buyout from San Antonio, which sits at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Morris won’t be able to return to Philadelphia this season. He also can’t sign with the Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Heat, Bucks and Suns since those teams have salaries above the first or second tax aprons.
Morris was on an expiring $17.1MM contract this season. That figure is well above the mid-level exception ($12.4MM), which makes teams above the tax aprons ineligible to sign him under the CBA rules.
A couple of weeks ago, former teammate Patrick Beverley (Twitter link) said Morris was leaning toward the Timberwolves if he was bought out.
Morris didn’t suit up for San Antonio. He appeared in 37 games with Philadelphia this season, including seven starts. The 34-year-old averaged 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.2 minutes before the trade to San Antonio.
Morris started regularly for the Clippers the past three-plus seasons before being sent to the Sixers as part of the James Harden trade in November. He has averaged 12.1 points and 4.5 rebounds in 820 career games. He’s a career 37.7% 3-point shooter, which should add to his appeal once he clears waivers.
Glad my Spurs made him sweat before giving him a buyout 1 day before the deadline to join a team for the playoffs.
Why??? What difference does it make to you or the Spurs?? If anything, the Spurs spent more money needlessly by waiting until now. As for you and other Spurs fans, what possible difference does it make when a guy who wasn’t going to play anyway is off the team?? For a fan who has seen a good deal of success over the years, and whose team has the guy (Victor Wembenyama) every team has been dreaming of the last couple of years, your comment about Marcus Morris is petty and disappointing.
Spurs didnt necessarily lose money.
Its all a game of Poker: how much salary is Morris willing to give up to be set free?
Guess Spurs were hoping for more than the minimum salary he would earn with his next team.
Meanwhile, Morris was probably hoping to give up less or be waived without giving up salary?
Wondering where they landed…
Make him sweat for the crap he pulled on the Spurs previously. Just a reminder.
Exactly. There is history here that previous posters probably aren’t aware of.
He’ll sign with the lakers
They used the rest of their money on bumwiddie
It’s not the money, the Lakers don’t have an open roster spot, they’d have to cut somebody
Didn’t even realize he was on spurs.. Probably to sign with lakers. He and his twin have never been the same since Jokic checked em…
Lakers are not going anywhere with that team.
Bulls aren’t a contender, but they could sure use him.
They won’t sign him because it would make sense.
That’s funny.
The Cavaliers could use a big man who can stretch the floor. Morris would fit the bill nicely. That is if Bickerstaff will play him. Hopefully Altman won’t sign him if JB won’t use him. They don’t need another Danny Green type situation. The Cavaliers will get Tristan Thompson back this month but that leaves them with 4 big men who can’t shoot. To be fair both Evan Mobley and Damian Jones are shooting a decent percentage from deep but they rarely attempt 3’s.