Cavs’ Marcus Morris Lands Deal, Institutes ‘No Dunk’ Policy For Opponents

CLEVELAND — Say what you will about Cavaliers forward Marcus Morris, but don’t you dare call him soft.

Morris, 34, just completed a 10-day contract and was signed by the Cavs for the rest of the season. That means the playoffs, too. The Cavs confirmed the move ahead of Friday’s game vs. the 76ers.

In the last home game, Morris was ejected for throwing an elbow in the vicinity of the jaw belonging to Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards. Morris apologized for nothing.

It wasn’t a dirty 0play as much as it was a physical one. And that’s what the Cavs like about him.

Now, that Morris is here for the rest of the year, he intends to make playing with an edge contagious. He is starting with a policy that forbids dunks by an opponent. Or more specifically, nothing easy inside.

“We all gonna enforce it,” Morris told reporters. “It’s just a mindset. I just gotta lead. I ain’t getting kicked out no more games, so we can (kill) that right now.”

Morris has appeared in five games with the Cavs, averaging 7.8 points and 3.0 rebounds, and is shooting 44 percent from the field overall and on 3-pointers.

He also appeared in 37 games with the Philadelphia 76ers this season before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs in February. The Spurs waived him shortly thereafter, opening the door for him to sign with Cleveland.

He is bringing not just a physical presence, but veteran know-how, and he intends to implement it wherever — practices, games, or in the locker room.

“I told the team yesterday, the standings are so tight at this point, you want to get as much home-court advantage as possible, so we gotta start fine-tuning and getting into a playoff mindset, of where it’s one game at a time and approach the intensity as if we’re in the playoffs,” Morris said.

“I know the minutes could be slim, but I think it’s game by game, so I think some games I could play a lot just on the strength of bringing intensity but also my game,” Morris said. “Just check the numbers.”