Report: F/C Morris reaches deal to join Thunder

The courtship of NBA free agent Markieff Morris ended Thursday with the Oklahoma City Thunder reaching an agreement with the power forward, according to The Athletic. Morris, who averaged 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game for the Washington Wizards this season, was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 7, along with cash and a 2023 second-round draft pick for forward Wesley Johnson. The Pelicans then waived Morris. Morris, 29, played in just 34 games this season as he worked his way through a transient cervical neuropraxia injury, caused by spinal cord trauma. Morris was cleared to play this week after visiting a specialist. The 6-foot-10 product, in his eighth season out of Kansas, has also spent time at center this season and is expected to give the Thunder front-line support. The Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors also reportedly were interested in Morris. He has averaged 11.8 points per game with 5.6 rebounds over 555 career games (330 starts) for the Phoenix Suns and Wizards. He was the No. 13 overall draft pick by the Suns in 2011. --Field Level Media