Marcus Morris introductory conference call with Boston Celtics

Marcus Morris was introduced to the media by the Boston Celtics yesterday. Here is the full press conference, courtesy of our friends at CLNS Media.

Here’s a transcript of the audio if you are interested:

Q: How do you see role in bringing toughness to Celtics frontcourt?

Marcus Morris: I don’t think that’s a thing that you work on, you just have to have that type of attribute, and I think it’s instilled in me to bring that toughness, that’s something we won’t have to worry about.

Q: How do you see yourself as versatile player working in Celtics system next season?

Morris: I see myself fitting anywhere coach wants to put me – I’m one of those guys that’s interchangeable from the two to the four – so I think it’s easy to plug me in anywhere, depending on something that needs to get done or what he sees in the best of me, and just go from there.

Q: How aware were of the popularity of Avery Bradley in Boston? What was your reaction when you heard the news of the trade of yourself to Boston?

Morris: I know Avery’s been there awhile, but I didn’t really follow how big he was in Boston. He’s a good friend of mine, we keep in touch, but I didn’t really pay any mind to what he was doing in Boston.

I wasn’t aware of the trade. For me, I felt like it’s a good situation. I have nothing but love for Detroit, I had a good two years there, unfortunately we didn’t make the playoffs last year, so it didn’t play out how I wanted it to. But I’m in Boston now and I’m ready to contribute to an already great team and happy the move has been made.

Q: Observations of Celtics during Eastern Conference Semifinals? And, how does it feel to be a part of this rivalry with your brother on the other side?

Morris: I always root for Isaiah Thomas, we’ve been close, we played in phoenix – so I always root for him and want him to do well. Obviously I didn’t want Boston to win because my brother plays for the other team, but I love the competition, they were out there competing and talking trash.

I think that kind of made the Eastern conference a little bit stronger, just in the way those guys battled it out for seven games…it’s going to be funny me being in Boston, but at the same time I’m a professional and my brothers a professional, so we’re just down to compete.

It’s definitely going to be tough, there’s definitely going to be trash talking, but at the end of the day I’m a Boston Celtic, so I want us to win. Joining a rivalry just amps it up.

Q: What’s it like playing against your brother?

Morris: When we play against each other it’s kind of almost like if I was playing against myself. Sometimes, because we work out all the time together, so we know each other’s moves, we know each other’s likes, so it’s rare that we come out and he won’t know what I’m doing.

We’re close, we workout. We just got finished working out together. The thing about us is that we’re going to compete, it doesn’t matter who’s in front of us, each other – whoever it is – we’re going to compete. It’s definitely going to be a tough matchup, it’s definitely going to be exciting and fun to watch for the fans.

Q: Having played with Aron Baynes over in Detroit, what are some of the things he brings to the table?

Morris: AB, he’s always been a true professional, he’s always been one of those guys that works extremely hard, that gets the job done (you can count on him), and he’s a tough guy.

At practice he competes at the highest level everyday…You know that’s a type of guy you want to play with and not against, so I’m happy he’s on our time and I think he’s going to be a major piece for us.

Q: What’s it like joining a team with championship expectations?

Morris: It’s exciting. This is the first time in my career where I can actually say that I have an opportunity to get to the finals and the opportunity to compete for a championship. I’m excited. I think the fans of Boston are really going to enjoy what I bring to the game, and I think I have to fit right with these guys.

Q: How much of a home had Detroit come? Was it a little bit bittersweet about the trade, or were you locked in and excited when you heard about it?

Morris: it was unexpected, so it was just a little new, it was unexpected because I didn’t have any idea, I didn’t know any trade was looming. If anything it was just unexpected, I found out about it at eight o’clock in the morning heading to workouts, so it was just unexpected.

But once he told me who it was, how I could I be upset about going to the Boston Celtics?

Paul Pierce has always been my favorite player, I reached out to him to see if I could get any work with him, so how I can I ever have a bad thought about it?

At the end of the day I’m a competitor. I want to play against the best, I want to play for championships. When I go here to Boston, everyday I’m coming and going put my hard hat on. I think it’s going to make our big guys better, I think it’s going to make me better, I’m ready to compete for a championship.

Q: Communication with Paul Pierce?

Morris: We communicated. I asked him if he’s coming to Boston – or while I’m out in L.A. – can I get in the gym with him; Not just working out but picking his brain, picking his brain about Boston. The first thing he said to me when we talked was I was going to love it. That’s all I needed to hear.

I didn’t think I wouldn’t, but from a guy like that who’s been in Boston for so long and done so many great things, it kind of made it easier for me.