It turns out the San Antonio Spurs’ offseason was not over after all. According to several reports, the team has agreed to a two-year deal with former Boston Celtics forward Marcus Morris.
Free agent forward Marcus Morris has agreed to a two-year, $20M deal with the San Antonio Spurs, with a second-year player option, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 6, 2019
That loud eruption you probably hear isn’t aftershocks from earthquakes, rather it could be San Antonio Spurs fans celebrating the signing. Taking a quick poll before the Spurs signed any players to their Mid Level Exception, most fans had Morris as number one or two on their offseason wish lists.
Morris is coming off a solid season with the Celtics. He averaged 13.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He also shot 44.7 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from long range.
Morris provides the Spurs with more size in the frontcourt and another player that can shoot the three and defend.
The Spurs reportedly have also moved Davis Bertans to the Washington Wizards and the draft rights to Nemanja Dangubic to the Brooklyn Nets. That trade allows the Spurs to complete the deal to sign former Nets forward DeMarre Carroll in a three-team swap.
As part of the three-team deal that will land Davis Bertans with the Wizards, they will send the rights to F Aaron White to Brooklyn, per source. The Nets are sending DeMarre Carroll to the Spurs in a trade.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) July 6, 2019
The Spurs were clearly needing some help on the defensive end and needed reliable three-point shooters, and they seem to have addressed those two needs in free agency and the draft.
The Bertans trade ends his three-year stint with the Spurs. He averaged a career-best 8 points, 3.5 rebounds and knocked down 42.9 percent of his three-point shots last season, but he fell out of the rotation in the playoffs.