Los Angeles Clippers Re-Sign Marcus Morris to Four-Year, $64M Deal

Over the years, there is no question that Marcus Morris has been a reliable role player for any team he has been on. Entering his 10th season in the league, Morris has averaged 12.1 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 43.2% from the floor and 36.7% from three-point range. After starting last season with the New York Knicks, the Clippers traded for the 31-year old veteran and he ended up being a key contributor for them in the playoffs down in the bubble. 

In the playoffs, Marcus Morris shot 47.5% from three-point range and did all he could to help the Clippers in their championship pursuit, but they ultimately fell in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Denver Nuggets. As a result of his playoff performances and the departure of sixth-man of the year in Montrezl Harrell, the Clippers decided to keep Morris on their roster as they continue to pursue an NBA Championship.

Although it was not a bad idea to bring Morris back, the Clippers definitely overpaid the veteran forward. Morris will be getting paid just under $15M this upcoming season and by the end of his new four-year contract, he will be making over $17M. When you look at his role with the Clippers and similar roles around the league, the Clippers likely paid Morris $4M per year more than they could have re-signed him for. 

It was expected that Marcus Morris Sr. would get paid between $8M-$12M per year, but now will be getting paid an average of $16M per year over the next four seasons. The financial implications this has on the Clippers roster is huge because they are above the salary cap and inching closer to the tax threshold. Not to mention, the Clippers have invested a lot of money in Morris now to be a key contributor and a part of their core for years to come, which for an aging veteran, can be a huge risk to an organization. 

A key example of how risky this can be can be examined when you look at the Philadelphia 76ers and Al Horford. Last year, the 76ers signed Al Horford to a four-year, $109M deal and after one season, Philadelphia has already moved on from Horford’s contract. Investing big money in veteran players can be a very risky play for an organization’s financials for years to come and could hurt the Clippers as they try to continue building championship contenders in a packed Western Conference.