Marcus Morris proving to be invaluable part of Celtics

http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20181211/marcus-morris-proving-to-be-invaluable-part-of-celtics



Marcus Morris proving to be invaluable part of Celtics




By Scott Souza / The MetroWest Daily News


Posted at 6:13 PM



BOSTON — Coming into this season, most viewed Marcus Morris as the consummate veteran role player who would hopefully give the Celtics one more solid year before leaving for someplace else for a more lucrative contract via free agency.

Now it’s fair to starting thinking about what the Celtics would have to do to keep him around for the duration of what is designed to be a championship-contending window.

While the team had wild swings of effectiveness and disjointed play over the first quarter of the season, Morris was the one player who could be counted on just about every night. Asked if Morris had been the team’s most consistent player through the first six weeks of the season, Celtics coach Brad Stevens issued a flat: “Yes.”

No further explanation was needed.

But as Morris has continued to produce at a very high level — for the last eight games as a member of the starting lineup heading into Wednesday night’s contest in Washington — Stevens has lauded the eight-year veteran’s versatility, talent and overall presence on the squad even more.

“When we had the initial injury wave last year in March,” the coach said after Monday’s 113-100 victory against the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden, “when Kyrie (Irving) was out, (Marcus) Smart was out, and Jaylen (Brown) was out for a while after falling in Minnesota, I thought Marcus Morris took it to a different level. I thought that was a big reason why we were feeling good about ourselves.

“He was great throughout the postseason. And he’s done nothing but add to it here at the start of this season.”

In a similar situation on Monday night, Morris responded again with 31 points and five 3-pointers in Boston’s sixth straight victory despite being without Irving (shoulder), Al Horford (ankle), Gordon Hayward (illness), Aron Baynes (ankle) and Guerschon Yabusele (ankle).

First thing was just be a leader,” Morris said. “You know we had a lot of guys down, obviously. Stay aggressive. Just keep trying to play the right way and keep trying to promote playing the right way with the guys out there.”


Irving is expected back in the lineup in Washington, while Baynes and Horford were listed as questionable on Tuesday, Hayward is doubtful, and Yabusele is expected to miss the next several weeks.

After playing such an expanded role with the season-long injury to Hayward last year, and moving into a starring role in the playoffs, it was fair to wonder how Morris would react if he had to take a step back this season with Boston fully healthy. But he was out in front of the sacrifice train — coming up with the “Bench With Attitude” mantra when it appeared he was ticketed for the second unit — and has maintained that perspective even as some younger players initially struggled in their revamped roles.

That made Morris stand out in the locker room during the 10-10 start before everyone came around to his way of thinking, acting and performing during the current six-game win streak.

“I think everybody is buying in,” he said. “Buying in to what Coach is preaching, and moving the ball, and when the ball is moving everybody is getting shots and getting to their spots. We’re defending at a high level right now. And, obviously, our offense has been clicking.”

Morris has shown the benefits of that “buy in” this season as he’s averaged a career-best 14.4 points per game and a career-best 6.2 rebounds. His 49.0-percent shooting overall is crushing his previous career-best of 44.2 percent, as is his 42.9-percent 3-point shooting percentage compared to a previous career best of 38.1.

“He’s a hard guy to guard,” Stevens said. “So you put a smaller guy on him, he posts you like he did at the start of the game (on Monday). Put a bigger guy on him, he plays off of those guys in close outs and that’s tough. He’s a really good shooter who can put the ball on the floor.”

In the final year of a contract paying him an amazing NBA bargain of $5.5 million, he is also a guy who is putting himself in position to get quite a raise this summer as an unrestricted free agent.

Only now instead of being happy for him someplace else, it might be time to figure out if there is any way with this team’s mounting salary forecast moving forward to keep him in Boston for the long term.





bob



.

The title of this article may be the largest understatement of the NBA season.

Morris has been more than anyone expected last season, and has raised the bar much more this year.

He has gone from being a two year filler type of player to perhaps becoming someone that Ainge may decide to make a much more permanent member of the Cs. Not sure where the GM will find the money to keep Morris, but if he continues to play the rest of the season like he has in the first third he may very well earn some more years playing in Boston.

How the worm has turned.

Morris might be one of the biggest bargains in the nba, and this was true last year as well when he was the object of derision of many board members.

When you see how effective Morris has been this year it makes you wonder How to retain his services.

I do not see how they can do it. Next year Kyrie, Hayward and Horford will eat up $100 million in CAP space.

If Boston can find a way to keep Morris, they should do it.

He really looks like a perfect fit on this team.

Consider hsi career highs across the board:

15.4 PPP
50% FG
44% 3PFG
89% FT
6.2 Rebounds

Morris is 29 and I would like to see him resigned to a 2 year deal if possible.  You can't keep Morris and Rozier

A lot depends on what happens over the summer.  Can you add replacements at less money for both Morris and Rozier?  Will the Celtics turn up the heat on getting Anthony Davis?

Are they ready to give up any combination of Marcus Smart and or Jaylen/Jayson, Semi, Yabu and maybe Williams plus multiple first rounders?  Let both Morris and Rozier walk.  Renounce Theis, etc.

There is a cumulative impact on anything Danny does.  If Boston does not make a trip to the finals this year they may pull the trigger because Al Horford is well past his shelf life.

I like Morris and how he is performing this year, but anyone who thinks we should keep him over either of the 2 J’s doesn’t know the game....and I don’t care what the stats are.

Much has been made on this board about the Celtic depth - and now in the free agency era a issue has developed that did not exist prior to the mid 80's - how to keep potential surplus starters from moving on to greener financial pastures - no longer does management own the players for perpetuity as free agency has now given the player the ace in the hole. Big, big decissions ahead for Danny and company.

swish

cowens/oldschool wrote:I like Morris and how he is performing this year, but anyone who thinks we should keep him over either of the 2 J’s doesn’t know the game....and I don’t care what the stats are.

Agree 100%

Cow...100% wit ya.

Pay the cap tax and keep everybody we can. I'm thinking Rozier may be more expendable than Morris. Naturally, the two Js take priority, but we aren't there yet.

I'm with you too Jrleftfoot. Keep the two J's and Morris. We'll see how Terry plays and pays out.

Morris will want a bucket of money this off season. He will probably get it from someone. I just don't want to give away on all our assets so early in their careers and then we don't have any. Davis can't win alone as he has shown in NO. Tatum and Brown both should keep improving I would think. Rozier would be one I would be willing to part with. I just can't get on board with him for some reason. I don't like his ball domination. I think he has hurt his trade value this year but we will see. Whats hurting is what we are paying Hayward and not getting much in return for him. It should get better.

I do not think they should keep Morris and now that I am thinking about this some more I am not comfortable with using his career season as a way to determine his value moving forward.

dboss wrote:I do not think they should keep Morris and now that I am thinking about this some more I am not comfortable with using his career season as a way to determine his value moving forward.

Maybe he could be used in a trade to get someone that could help change the season? He has been great for us but it would be nice to get Jaylen, Jason more minutes and develop. The were successful last year. I am still holding out hope on Hayward.