The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed forward Marcus Morris Sr. for the remainder of the season, the team announced Friday.
Morris initially signed a 10-day contract on March 18. He has appeared in five games since, averaging 7.8 points, three rebounds in 18.4 minutes per game.
Morris has had an impact in his short time with the Cavs . In Monday's game against the Charlotte Hornets , a 115-92 win , his ejection with 6:34 left in the second quarter is credited to waking the team from its malaise.
It's clear from the Cavs' recent struggles (3-7 in their last 10 games), including an embarrassing loss to the Charlotte Hornets Wednesday, that the team needs a spark. Morris brings an attitude and physicality to match to the team.
He said after the ejection he's trying to institute a no-dunk rule on the defensive side of the ball, recognizing that it will be needed as the season winds down. Given Wednesday's loss, however, he knows that rule is but one piece and there is a necessity to have a playoff mindset from here on.
"The standards are so tight at this point," Morris said Friday morning after shootaround. "You want get as much advantage as possible. So we got to start fine tuning and getting into a playoff mindset where one game at a time and each game is approached as if the intensity as we're in the playoffs. This is very important — to be going into the playoffs with that instead of up-and-down type of thing."
With the Cavs slipping to the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, it's an attitude that may be needed.
Morris' presence and play have earned him respect from the team, center Jarrett Allen said. He called Morris a perfect fit, especially defensively.
"I feel like we're a little more gritty," Allen said. "I know we still haven't adapted fully [to] the grit that he brings, but it's a step in the right direction."
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said Morris addressed the team Thursday.
"He just brings a level of respect that there may be five to 10 guys that carry in this league," Bickerstaff said Friday before his pregame media availability. "There is a no-nonsense approach, a physicality that he's allowed to play with, but then you match that with a skill set of his ability to create shots and put the ball in the basket.
"But when he speaks, because he's a quiet person, people listen, and we've had conversations just [Thursday]. He spoke up, and you could tell his teammates were embracing and listening to what he had to say. So that's invaluable for us as we continue to grow and fight through this and try to take the steps that we're looking for."
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers sign Marcus Morris Sr. for rest of the season
