Nets to Guarantee Deals for Yuta Watanabe, Markieff Morris, Edmond Sumner

The Nets are guaranteeing the contracts of forwards Yuta Watanabe and Markieff Morris, and guard Edmond Sumner for the rest of the season, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Teams must decide whether to guarantee deals for the remainder of 2022-23 by Saturday.

Watanabe, 28, is 6-foot-9 and averaging 7.7 points and shooting a sizzling 51 percent on 3-pointers in 25 games during his first season with the Nets. He has also spent time with the Raptors and Grizzlies.

Last season, he averaged 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 38 appearances with Toronto. Watanabe hails from Japan and became the first Asian player to sign with the Nets since Joe Tsai owned the franchise.

Morris, 33, is 6-8 and also in his first season with the Nets, providing his usual dose of toughness and energy — appearing in 19 games and averaging 4.2 points. He too is in his first season with the Nets after stops with the Heat, Pistons, Lakers, Pistons, Thunder, Wizards and Suns.

Last season, Morris averaged 7.6 points and 2.6 rebounds, shooting 47 percent from the field.

Sumner, 27, is 6-4 and has filled in nicely at point guard after missing all of last season with the Pacers following an Achilles tear, then signing with the Nets in free agency. he has appeared in 33 games and is averaging 6.8 points.

In 53 games with the Pacers in 2020-21, Sumner averaged a career-high 7.5 points on 58 percent shooting.

The Brooklyn Nets will guarantee the contracts of Yuta Watanabe, Edmond Sumner and Markieff Morris, league sources told @hoopshype. Watanabe has become one of the top 3-point shooters in the NBA. Sumner has played solid backup point guard minutes. Morris is shooting 48.7% on 3s.

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) January 6, 2023