The Dallas Mavericks added depth on the backfield this offseason — Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall — but for leadership and locker room atmosphere, they turned to someone they know and trust.
Markieff Morris and the Mavericks have agreed to a one-year contract to bring him back to the team, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic, who confirmed this with Morris’ agent..
Morris, 35, spent last season with the Mavericks as a bench guard, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game in the 26 games he played (he can be a physical big guy on the court and hit 3-pointers when he wants to). He brought veteran leadership to the locker room, something that meant a lot to the team during its run to the Finals, and he has a strong relationship with Kyrie Irving. He’s a player who could be seen initiating pregame discussions and timeouts at times, a player who pulled players aside on the court to give them advice, and who was almost another coach for Dallas. He’s the kind of player the Mavericks want back for another playoff run.
We don’t know the details of Morris’ contract, other than it’s expected to be the veteran minimum, as that’s all the Mavericks could offer. Dallas already has 14 guaranteed contractsplus a partially guaranteed one with AJ Lawson at $2.1 million, meaning that if Morris’ deal is guaranteed, the Mavericks have completed their roster and Lawson or one of the guaranteed contracts would have to be released.
