Marcus Morris Responds to Rumor That Rich Paul Made Him Turn Down Clippers Deal Because of LeBron

Don't believe everything you read. It was recently alleged that agent Rich Paul may have forced his former client, Marcus Morris, to steer clear of the Los Angeles Clippers in NBA free agency due to LeBron James' presence in LA.

However, Morris quickly shot down this rumor, stating the following when asked about the situation:

“That’s not true,” Morris told The Athletic. “He never told me not to take the deal. For as long as I’ve known Rich — and that’s someone I have love for and that’s still my guy — he has been great in terms of advice. He told me he wanted me to take the Clippers deal. He gave me advice.”

- Marcus Morris

Morris reportedly walked away from a three-year $41 million deal from the Clippers, stating that it was the best decision for him and his family. Yet, the veteran forward recently signed a contract with the New York Knicks for nearly half that amount after already having an agreement in place with the San Antonio Spurs, citing his lack of options at the time as his reason for pulling out of the deal.

“I was under the impression that I didn’t have anything left,” Morris said. “I thought at the time that the Spurs deal was all that I had. The process wasn’t what I expected, and it didn’t go the right way.”

- Marcus Morris

The way Morris' free-agent tour played out is peculiar to say the least. Whether or not there was a conflict of interest on Rich Paul's part, Morris is now a member of the Knicks and there is no going back.