Former Detroit Pistons guard Monte Morris didn’t receive much interest on the open market this summer after playing 45 games with the Phoenix Suns last season. The 30-year-old Morris has seen his production drop off over the last handful of years, but he can still provide value for a team looking for guard depth.
However, the veteran guard’s fortunes suddenly turned around Tuesday, as he reportedly signed a one-year deal with the Indiana Pacers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. According to Michael A. Scotto of HoopsHype, Morris’ deal with the Pacers is non-guaranteed, meaning he’ll have to earn his spot on the 15-man roster.
Luckily for Morris, he’s joining a Pacers squad that could use additional guard depth as they’re without All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles.
Monte Morris Gets Last-Minute Deal from Pacers Ahead of Training Camp
As things stand, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell will likely get the bulk of the minutes at point guard. However, after those two guys, the Pacers don’t have another guy who can handle the ball, which is where Morris comes into play.
The ex-Pistons guard averaged 5.2 points and 1.6 assists in 12.7 minutes per game in Phoenix, which isn’t saying much. However, for his career, Morris is scoring 9.5 points and dishing out 3.6 assists per game.
Morris had a brief stint in the Motor City during the 2023-24 season after getting traded by the Washington Wizards for a 2027 second-round pick in July 2023. The veteran guard played in six games with the Pistons, averaging a pedestrian 4.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 11.3 minutes per game.
Coincidentally, that was near the trade deadline, where the Pistons ultimately shipped Morris to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr., and a 2030 second-round pick.
As of right now, we can say that trade didn’t move the needle for either team. That being said, it will be interesting to see if Morris can stick in Indy as their third point guard. He will have training camp and preseason games to prove he can still be a valuable vet.