Monte Morris spent five seasons with the Denver Nuggets, a run that ended in 2022 when the team traded him to the Wizards as part of the deal for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Since then, Morris has suited up for Washington, Detroit, Minnesota, and Phoenix. He recently agreed to sign a non-guaranteed contract with Indiana, but that has since changed.
Two days after the Morris deal was first reported, Chad Buchanan, GM of the Pacers, said that Indiana let the veteran guard go because of a calf injury. The Pacers were excited about having Morris, but pivoted to Delon Wright instead.
Per Chad Buchanan, the Indiana Pacers have let Monte Morris go after just signing a previous non-guaranteed contract.
— Alex Golden (@AlexGoldenNBA) September 25, 2025
He has a calf strain that will keep him out for a few weeks and they will continue to look for more point guard depth.
Morris entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent after he spent the 2024-25 season with the Suns on a one-year deal. Indiana was a good landing spot for him, as he would've presumably been the backup point guard for the Pacers with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined with an Achilles tendon tear. He would've helped Indiana make noise in a weak Eastern Conference.
Now, Morris will rehab from the injury. When he's healthy, he'll hopefully have another chance to sign with a team during the season.
Monte Morris suffers calf injury after agreeing to sign with Pacers
Some Denver fans wanted to see Morris reunite with the Nuggets, as they could use another point guard after Russell Westbrook declined his player option at the beginning of the offseason. Westbrook is also still on the market, but it's clear that Denver isn't interested in bringing him back, assuming that would've happened by now.
Morris is a good backup to have, but it helps that he was also a fan favorite when he was in Denver, earning the 'Mr. Nugget' title. No matter how much he's loved in Denver, there isn't a fan out there who should regret the 2022 trade, considering KCP helped the Nuggets win the championship in his first season with the team. It hurt to see Monte go, but it was all part of the business that's the NBA.
Maybe down the road, he'll end up back in Denver. His priority now is to recover and sign with a team, sooner rather than later. Calf injuries can be tricky, though.
Morris turned 30 in June, so he still has plenty to give to the game of basketball. Let's hope that this injury doesn't change that.