Nuggets’ Monte Morris eager to “earn” starting job after addressing knee situation

Nuggets’ defender Monte Morris saw first-hand however devastating injuries could beryllium to a rubric tally past season.

And fixed what was bound to beryllium asked of him this upcoming season, Morris wasn’t going to beryllium an impediment to Denver’s chances.  So helium had a nagging genu wounded addressed.

Tendinitis, arsenic Morris described it, had been plaguing him ever since helium made it to the NBA successful 2017. Though nary country was required, Morris underwent focused rehabilitation and aesculapian absorption this summer, a league root told The Denver Post, that lasted astir 10 weeks. Morris said he’s returned to carnal interaction and is good connected his mode to mending with grooming campy acceptable to commencement adjacent week.

“For maine to instrumentality this measurement wherever I privation to go, connected my end, personally, without that being done to it, it was going to beryllium precise tough,” Morris said. “It’s thing I’ve been dealing with my full career. It decidedly was thing that had to beryllium done whether that happened to Jamal (Murray, torn ACL) oregon not, his situation, it was going to person to beryllium done connected my extremity for sure.”

Morris said determination were times past play wherever the symptom successful his genu constricted his explosiveness and helium would shy distant from attacking the basket. He nary longer has those concerns.

His prediction? Fans volition spot much stopping and starting, much creating disconnected the dribble and finishing amended astir the rim. Morris, who played past play astatine 173 pounds, said he’s up to 183 pounds. His extremity is to play each 82 games – conscionable similar helium did during the 2018-’19 season.

“We conscionable fixed (the knee) …  and conscionable strengthened it backmost up,” helium said.

As the squad prepares for their grooming campy successful San Diego adjacent week, Morris has been fixed nary assurances astir a starting relation adjacent though the opportunity, portion Murray rehabs, is sitting determination for him. When the Nuggets unfastened their play astatine Phoenix successful astir a month, successful each likelihood, it volition beryllium Morris orchestrating the discourtesy arsenic the team’s starting constituent guard.

Not that Morris wants the occupation to beryllium handed to him. He said he’s anxious to “earn it.”

Morris, arsenic opposed to Facu Campazzo, Austin Rivers, P.J. Dozier oregon rookie Bones Hyland, makes the astir consciousness arsenic the team’s starting constituent defender alongside a starting lineup that should person immense violative potential. There’s arguably nary 1 amended to skipper a starting lineup featuring the firepower of Nikola Jokic, Michael Porter Jr., Will Barton and Aaron Gordon than Morris, whose dependable play has earned him spot from manager Michael Malone.

“I privation to conscionable amusement the satellite that I tin beryllium a person besides and conscionable triumph games,” Morris said.

The Nuggets went 10-3 with Morris successful the starting lineup past season.

“It’s triumph oregon bust for us,” Morris said. “… We’re each to a constituent wherever we’re conscionable not blessed to get (to the playoffs) nary more. Our expectations are high.”