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NBA Rumors: Monte Morris Traded to Pistons After 1 Season with Wizards – Bleacher Report
Monte Morris is headed to Detroit.
The Washington Wizards are trading Morris to the Detroit Pistons, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Detroit is sending a future second-round pick to Washington in exchange for the veteran point guard, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.
The trade creates a $9.8 million traded player exception for the Wizards, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski added.
Washington’s decision to trade Morris likely means that Tyus Jones will have full control as the team’s starting point guard in 2023-24. The Wizards acquired Jones from the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this month in a three-team deal that also involved sending Kristaps Porziņģis to the Boston Celtics.
Although the Wizards reportedly re-signed Kyle Kuzma at the start of free agency on Friday, Washington is entering a rebuild after offloading Porziņģis to the Celtics and Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns.
Kuzma figures to be a centerpiece of the franchise’s rebuild alongside the newly-acquired Jordan Poole. Washington landed Poole in a trade with the Golden State Warriors earlier this month.
With Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes on the roster, the Pistons didn’t necessarily need more depth at point guard, but Morris’ presence will surely be welcomed on a young Detroit squad looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2022-23 season in which it finished last in the Eastern Conference.
Morris spent the first five seasons of his career with the Denver Nuggets before joining the Wizards ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. In 62 games (61 starts) last season, he averaged 10.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 48.0 percent from the floor and 38.2 percent from deep.
Morris is entering the final year of his contract and has a cap hit worth $9.8 million in 2023-24.