Anthony Morrow signs with Thunder

[Balkman32]

Discuss!

[kd 35]

Excellent news!
[tweet]https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/488013798910210048[/tweet]

[kd 35]

This could be huge for OKC. Morrow isn't the biggest name available but he'll be able to fill an immediate need for this team. It'll be nice having a legitimate threat from outside. It should take some of the pressure off of RW/KD to hit 3's so hopefully we'll see less contested 3's from them. It should also help clear up driving lanes for Russ/KD/Reggie to get to the hole with Morrow's defender afraid to sag off him for help defense. If they do, Morrow will make them pay from 3. I think he'll have a tremendous impact, even if he's not lighting up the box score with a lot of points.

Here's a really nice in-depth write-up on him that I posted in the off-season thread a while back in case you didn't get a chance to see it.
http://www.bourbonstreetshots.com/2014/04/08/anthony-morrow-emerges-for-the-new-orleans-pelicans/

[bbms]

Fills a need.

How's his defense?

[kd 35]

Fills a need.

How's his defense?

He's not known to be a lock-down defender but I don't think he'll hurt us on that side of the ball.

From that article I posted:

The table above illustrates the difference in net rating when Anthony Morrow is either on or off the court. Their offense functions better than their opponents, they grab more rebounds and surprisingly they block more shots.

However digging deeper we discover that it’s not the offense driving these numbers. When Morrow steps on the floor Pelican opponents offensive rating declines by 4.1 points. The Pelicans offense itself does not change.

This is very intriguing because Morrow is not known for his defense, yet the team improves. The reason for this is the lineups he’s playing in. Tyreke Evans and Austin Rivers are consistently playing alongside Morrow. As such, Anthony is able to track the opponent’s shooter.

Using Synergy data we’re able to see that in spot-up and off-screen defensive plays that Morrow is directly responsible he holds the opponent to 33 per cent shooting. These make up 54 per cent of the types of defensive plays that Morrow faces.

Outside of the data I believe that Morrow brings something intrinsic to the Pelicans when he’s on the floor that helps explain this defensive improvement; communication.

Anthony Morrow yells and does a good job of pumping energy into the team when he’s on the court. He’ll ask for help when he needs it and on fast breaks will try to alert his team-mates when he’s open.

[Balkman32]

3 years 10 million. Team option in the 3rd season.

[kd 35]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB-UfyoJXcI[/youtube]

His 3-point shot looks so damn good. I am loving this.

And we got a good deal on him.

[bbms]

If he's a fine defensive player, this fullfills my dream of having a sharp shooter 3pter in the starting lineup. Bring Pleiss over, Presti.

Westbrook / Jackson / Telfair
Morrow / Lamb / Roberson
Durant / Jones III / Huestis
Ibaka / Collison / McGary
Perkins / Adams / Pleiss

So deep that it's disgusting. Don't screw this over, Brooks. Thunder is the biggest off season winner thus far unless Spurs get Gasol. Heat is destroyed and the Spurs are one year older, these are the only two teams that gives Thunder trouble in a 7 game series.

I predict Jackson and Perkins will be traded together on the deadline for draft picks.

[Loud_city]

Great pick up.

[bondom34]

Great contract. Don't see him starting, but should be a good bench guy for sure, and they still have a few mil of the MLE to use if needed.

[Kizz Fastfists]

If he's a fine defensive player, this fullfills my dream of having a sharp shooter 3pter in the starting lineup. Bring Pleiss over, Presti.

Westbrook / Jackson / Telfair
Morrow / Lamb / Roberson
Durant / Jones III / Huestis
Ibaka / Collison / McGary
Perkins / Adams / Pleiss

So deep that it's disgusting. Don't screw this over, Brooks. Thunder is the biggest off season winner thus far unless Spurs get Gasol. Heat is destroyed and the Spurs are one year older, these are the only two teams that gives Thunder trouble in a 7 game series.

I predict Jackson and Perkins will be traded together on the deadline for draft picks.

They won't bring Pleiss over this year. You left Jarrett off your list of players. Jarrett got a QO for $1.16M so he will take a roster spot.

[bbms]

So hes likely to take Thabeet's spot, am i right?

[Kizz Fastfists]

Great contract. Don't see him starting, but should be a good bench guy for sure, and they still have a few mil of the MLE to use if needed.

Lamb will start and Morrow will come off the bench. They have $2.1M left of the MLE, but they have less then $1.5M until they hit the tax line. They might add another league minimum guy like Caron Butler, but they are pretty much done.

PG- Russ, Reggie
SG- Lamb, Morrow, Roberson
SF- KD, PJ3, Huestis
PF- Ibaka, Collison, McGary, Jerrett
C- Adams, Perkins

They might keep Thabett, but his contract is not guaranteed. They also don't have a 3rd PG unless they keep Telfair, also without a guaranteed contract or give Semaj a roster spot. Their next order of business will be to extend Reggie.

[Kizz Fastfists]

So hes likely to take Thabeet's spot, am i right?

They had an open spot. Thabeet will probably be cut, but that was likely regardless. Thabeet, Telfair and Semaj are fighting for the last roster spot. Assuming they do not add someone else like Butler to take it.

[bbms]

So hes likely to take Thabeet's spot, am i right?

They had an open spot. Thabeet will probably be cut, but that was likely regardless. Thabeet, Telfair and Semaj are fighting for the last roster spot. Assuming they do not add someone else like Butler to take it.

Any idea on why Semaj dropped so low in the drft?

[Kizz Fastfists]

Any idea on why Semaj dropped so low in the drft?

Scouts are very torn on rather or not he can handle PG. He's more of a combo guard. However, Presti loves that type of PG which is why he was a perfect fit for OKC. He's very much in the mold of Reggie. Interestingly, Russ, Reggie and Semaj all had the same height and wing span when drafted. Semaj would have ended up a first round pick if he had gone back to school another year. Just like McGary would have been a top 15 pick, maybe top 10, if he hadn't tested positive and had to leave this year.

[jackson77]

Morrow is a good pick up, knowing Brooks and his philosophy we can expect Robertson as the starting SG and Perkins as starting C. think Jarett will come off

[Space Dracula]

Value acquisition. Morrow's injury history and journeyman status kept his asking price in check. I think Morrow was lower on the Thunder's list of candidates but they were serious about not committing to a third season. Otherwise we would have had C.J. Miles. Third year team option a big concession for 29 year old SG like Morrow who's bounced around.

Expect he'll come off the bench in a Daequan Cook role. Defensively he's a wreck, although there's some APM derived evidence that he was a lot better this year. 2012-13 he was one of the worst in the league (2nd worst to Ben Gordon among wings) by the same measurements. Still, a good value contract for a player that fills a major need.

I think Perry Jones or Andre Roberson will be starters at SG. Both had stints with success in that role, Roberson the only one who had some with Perkins at C (Perkins was injured during Jones' foray as a starter). I don't think Lamb should start, and I don't think they will consider it.

[jackson77]

Jones as the starting SG was a dumb move, he can cover both the SF-PF position but definitely can not be SG
He can defend some SG, but is out of his natural position

[bondom34]

I actually like PJ as a possible starter (at least more than Lamb or Roberson). That being said, I don't know who will start, but this deal is still pretty solid. Cheap, excellent shooter, should give some bench punch w/o giving up as much on defense as Butler. Still think Caron may be back, but we shall see.

Edit: I'd really like RJ to start at SG, but don't feel like they'll do it. Maybe though.