The Dallas Mavericks made some interesting signings in the offseason by bringing in Klay Thompson as its main addition, but it does seem that Markieff Morris is also a key signing for the team as they bring one of their veterans back heading into the 2024-25 season.

Morris wasn’t much of a big impact player on the Dallas roster, but he sure is a leader on the bench for the team, providing them with eagerness and a fiery pace in their games. He spent the last two seasons with the Mavericks after being landed by the team in the same trade that also gave them Kyrie Irving.

However, there are also rumors that Morris’ deal with the team is a one-year, non guaranteed one. This means that he will have to compete for a roster spot with the rest of the team to further prove his worth in the game later on this season. This will ensure that the team will all have a competitive edge heading into the campaign, where most of the team is expecting to see Dallas return to the playoff stage as well.

Morris is one of the biggest players in the squad with extreme value in the locker room. He joins Spencer Dinwiddie, Klay Thompson, and Quentin Grimes as the latest Dallas transactions in the 2024 offseason to strengthen their roster.

Signing a Bench Leader

Morris only played in a total of 26 games for the Dallas Mavericks, finishing the year with meager averages of 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game while shooting just 38% from the field, including 35.7% from three. Those are definitely the numbers of a bench warmer in the game, and it goes without saying that Morris will have to prove his worth in the game if he is going to stay with the team moving forward.

At the age of 34, it does seem that he could still come up with some good strides in the game. He is entering his 14th NBA season and can definitely remain as a strong leader in the Mavs locker room so far. It is worth noting that the Mavericks are already $493k below the first apron, meaning that they could only afford the non-guaranteed contract for Morris. Should he make the roster, the team will have to waive another player – like AJ Lawson who also has a non-guaranteed contract, and even make a trade as a worst-case scenario in the long run.

A Veteran in His Own Right

Morris was selected with the 13th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft straight out of Kansas. He would go on to play for the Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Miami Heat – a whole lot of teams for a player who has enjoyed a lot of years in the game.

It is also worth noting that Morris has also won the 2020 NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in the Bubble. He has career averages of 10.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting a promising 44.5% from the field and 34.3% from three.

Morris is one of the few veteran players in the Mavericks roster who has seen a total of seven playoff runs in his career, playing for a total of four different teams in the postseason.