After receiving a verbal commitment from veteran forward Marcus Morris that he would join the San Antonio Spurs only for him to change his mind at the last second, the team has now also switched gears. With Morris now headed for the New York Knicks, the Spurs decided to add free agent Trey Lyles. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Lyles will sign a two-year deal with San Antonio.
Lyles is finalizing terms on a two-year deal with Spurs, league source tells ESPN. https://t.co/ItulNCc1dn
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 11, 2019
With Marcus Morris out of the picture, it’s clear the Spurs still felt like they needed additional frontcourt help. Trey Lyles could prove to be a great addition for the Spurs, as he still has plenty of potential at just 23-years-old.
Lyles was drafted 12th overall by the Utah Jazz but ultimately ended up with the Denver Nuggets over the past two seasons. While he hasn’t enjoyed any major statistical success throughout his short NBA career, he’s proven to be a viable option off the bench and should now get plenty of opportunities under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio.
The Spurs do already have a slew of forwards on their roster, including former All-Stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay. However, their big man rotation off the bench certainly needed a boost, and this is where they’ll expect Lyles to come in and play a major role right away. Lyles averaged 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds in limited playing time with the Nuggets last season.
