As the trade deadline approached, it seemed Marcus Morris was heading to Los Angeles one way or another; it was just a matter of if it was going to be the Lakers or the Clippers. It ended up being the latter in a deal that saw Maurice Harkless and a 2020 first-round pick, among other pieces, head to New York.
[RELATED: Clippers to acquire Marcus Morris in three-team trade]
Had the Lakers found success with obtaining Morris, the Mavericks would have attempted to take Danny Green off their hands, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter links).
As Ramona Shelburne of ESPN tweets, New York was looking to acquire both Kyle Kuzma and Green in talks with the Lakers, who would have had to salary-match Morris’ $15M contract. The Knicks would’ve then flipped Green to Dallas. However, the Lakers were unwilling to part with both Kuzma and Green.
Dallas pursued Green over the summer. The shooting guard decided to sign with the Lakers over Mark Cuban‘s squad. He’s making $14.6M this season and will take home $15.4M next year.
To trade for Green, the Mavericks would have had to give up Courtney Lee‘s expiring contract and Golden State’s 2020 second-round draft pick, a source tells Townsend (Twitter link). That pick currently projects to be 31st overall.
If only they spoke Hovitos!!!
Lakers need Green to throw at Harden. KCP won’t be enough; Kuzma will probably get a try too. Not sure about Lebron.
Ask I guessed Mavs would try squeeze themselves into getting Green.
Luka Doncic Danny Green Tim Hardaway Porzingod and WSC would’ve been a nice line up
So the Clippers got Morris for Harkless’s expiring contract and a first draft choice they had no use for. But Knicks wanted both Green and Kuzma for him.
And here I thought James Dolan was enamored of Jeannie Buss and united with her in hatred of Ballmer.
Wrong. Knicks didn’t want Danny Green. The only way for the Lakers to fit Morris salary wise was to move Green along with Kuzma.