Forget Phoenix: Marcus Morris ready for expanded role with Detroit

By Staff     Jul 10, 2015

Vacationing with his twin brother and teammate Markieff Morris last week, [Marcus Morris abruptly learned Phoenix had traded him to Detroit][1].

Caught off guard by the news then, Marcus appeared over the transaction that split up the Suns’ twin tandem when the Pistons introduced their newest player at a Friday afternoon press conference.

> “At the same time it’s a business,”
> said Marcus, joining the third
> organization of his four-year NBA
> career. “Forget Phoenix. I’m here in
> Detroit and I’m ready to get started.
> I have high expectations of myself and
> I’m just ready to get to work. You’ll
> see.”

The Morris twins, of course, starred together at Kansas before leaving school one year early to enter the 2011 NBA Draft. The Suns took Markieff 13th overall, and Marcus went next in the first round, to Houston.

During his first appearance as a member of the Pistons, Marcus admitted he never settled in with the Rockets, because he always thought he would end up in Phoenix, with his brother. He was right. The Suns reunited the Morrii in 2013 via a trade. Marcus assumed he and Markieff would remain teammates for the foreseeable future.

Wearing a Detroit Bad Boys cap, Marcus reflected on the business move that sent him away from his brother.

> “I mean, things change, situations
> change,” he said. “I’m a basketball
> player, I’m a man, so nobody’s gonna
> feel sorry for me — me going different
> places. So I just have to adjust and,
> you know, do my job.”

Asked during the press conference about playing on a different team than Markieff, Marcus simply responded: “Life goes on.”

Shortly after the Q and A, though, [Perry A. Farrell of the Detroit Free Press got Marcus to open up][2] more on the matter.

> “Everybody knew how bad I wanted to
> play with my brother. Phoenix knew,”
> Marcus told the Free Press. “For them
> to trade me without consent or telling
> me was like a slap in the face,
> because of the contract I took from
> those guys and the money I took from
> them. I’m happy to be here. I’m a
> Piston. I’m a Bad Boy. I’m ready to
> get started.”

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy had a lot to do with Marcus feeling better about going to Detroit, where he’ll wear No. 13.

> “We said coming into the summer that
> our biggest priority was to get a
> starting small forward, and with this
> deal we think we’ve done that,” Van
> Gundy said.

In Phoenix this past season, Marcus started in 35 of his 81 appearances, but butted heads with coach Jeff Hornacek and only played 25.2 minutes a game — averaging 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds while making 35.8% of his 3-pointers.

Upon welcoming Marcus to Detroit, Van Gundy told the 25-year-old forward the organization had significantly different plans for him.

> “We were really, really happy that
> this (trade) was available,” the
> Pistons coach said. “We think Marcus
> is at a point in his career where he’s
> already established himself as a very
> good player, but now with an increased
> opportunity we think he’s got a chance
> to really blossom into even more than
> we’ve seen so far.”

Not only does Van Gundy want Marcus to mentor incoming lottery pick Stanley Johnson, of Arizona, but he expects the 6-foot-9 forward to play a large role in the offense, with big man Andre Drummond and point guard Reggie Jackson.

> “I’ll probably have more opportunities
> than I had in Phoenix, so I’m
> definitely looking forward to that
> part,” Marcus said.

In Detroit, he might be able to catch up with the production of twin brother Markieff, who averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals for the Suns while starting all 82 games in the 2014-15 season.

But it sounds as if the twins aren’t expecting Markieff to stick around in Phoenix much longer, either — which could stem from [the brothers’ alleged involvement in an aggravated assault, a charge to which they pleaded not guilty][3].

> “I hope he does well wherever he’s
> at,” Marcus said, “if it’s Phoenix or
> wherever.”

*- Keep up with the production of all the ‘Hawks in the NBA [daily at KUsports.com][4].*

*- [Follow @BentonASmith on Twitter][5].*

[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/hawks_nba/2015/jul/2/phoenix-splits-up-morris-twins-trades-ma/
[2]: http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2015/07/10/detroit-pistons-marcus-morris/29970089/
[3]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2015/may/07/morris-twins-plead-not-guilty-assault/
[4]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/mens_basketball/hawks_nba/
[5]: https://twitter.com/BentonASmith

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