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The Philadelphia 76ers have had as good of an offseason as they could have hoped. However, with the hole they have at the power forward position, the few options left in free agency, and the little they can offer, one player they may try to fill that hole with is Marcus Morris Sr.
The Philadephia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey reported that the Sixers have interest in bringing Morris back.
“The team has interest in signing former Sixers power forward and North Philly native Marcus Morris Sr,” Pompey wrote in an August 13 story.
Pompey explained why the Sixers should bring Morris back, even if his time with them was brief.
“The Sixers actually missed the 6-8, 218-pounder’s toughness, leadership, and stellar play after they traded him to the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 8. Versatile, Morris played power forward and small-ball center when needed for the Sixers, averaging 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.2 minutes while shooting 40% on three-pointers last season.”
Morris isn’t completely out of juice. He can’t score at the same consistent rate he once could, but he has shown that he is still capable of that on the game’s biggest stage.
Morris played a role in helping the Cleveland Cavaliers battle the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, putting up 25 points in a losing effort. Although the Cavaliers lost that game, they pushed the Celtics hard to get the win.
Morris is familiar with some of the current Sixers from his time in Philadelphia. He is also familiar with Paul George, whom he played with on the Los Angeles Clippers from 2020 to 2023. He is coming off a four-year, $64 million contract.
Marcus Morris Sr. Would Welcome Return to Sixers
In an exclusive interview with Pompey, Morris answered in the affirmative when asked if he would welcome a return to Philadelphia.
“For sure,” he told Pompey in an August 1 story. “I built a really good relationship with those guys. … Obviously, being here with [Joel] Embiid and going [against] Philly for a long time, and then just being on his side, it just felt different.
“It felt like it was something that just helped my career. You know, sometimes you’ve been doing it for so long that you find different things that get you up for playing. Being home is one of those things for me.”
Morris added how great it was for him to be back in his hometown.
“Being home … I just felt so free,” Morris said. “I just felt so much love. So it’s like, yeah, man, I would definitely entertain coming back. I just hope … we can get something going hopefully.
Sixers’ Main Competition for Marcus Morris Sr.
In that same story, Pompey revealed who else has interest in signing Morris.
“According to sources, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, and Minnesota Timberwolves have shown interest. The Dallas Mavericks were interested before making roster moves.”
Pompey explained why the Sixers and Cavaliers appeal most to Morris. He also explained why the Cavaliers may have the edge.
“For Morris’ comfort level, the Sixers and Cavs appear to have the best chances to land him,” Pompey wrote. “The Sixers only have a one-year veteran-minimum salary of $3.3 million available to offer him. Sources say the Cavs, who are highly interested, are prepared to give Morris nearly double that amount.”
Much like after the Spurs bought him out, Morris is clearly weighing his options thoroughly before making a decision.
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