Denver Nuggets sign former Iowa State guard Monte Morris to two-way contract

AMES — Monte Morris knows the expectations.

When the Denver Nuggets selected him in last month's NBA Draft, the former Iowa State point guard knew right away how he could fit into the organization. The Nuggets saw potential too.

Morris signed a two-way contract with Denver, the team announced Friday. A two-way contract, which is new to the NBA this year, gives teams two spots beyond their 15-man rosters. Morris will spend most of the time in the G-League, but can spend up to 45 days with the Nuggets.

'Wherever I play at, I know I'll play in the NBA for sure just with the way my contract is,' Morris told The Gazette on Thursday night at the YMCA Cap City Leauge. 'I'll play some games in the G-League too. Just when I'm in the G-League, dominate. Then when I get called up, play solid in whatever they need me to do.'

Morris, the No. 51 overall pick in last month's draft, set an NCAA record with a 4.65 career assist-to-turnover ratio with the Cyclones. His steadiness as a point guard carried into Las Vegas summer league action too, where he averaged 9.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and a team-best 4.3 assists in six games.

'He's been around winning his whole life in high school and college,' Iowa State Coach Steve Prohm told The Gazette before the draft. 'He understands how to play pick and roll, he understands the defensive coverages, the offensive schemes; he just brings so much to the table.

'I think he is going to be a guy that is going to be in that league for eight, 10, 12 years.'

While facilitating the offense for the likes of the Nuggets' second-year players Malik Beasley and Juancho Hernangomez, Morris tried to identify his own strengths and weakness. He can pass and finish at the rim. The next step the Nuggets want Morris to take, he said, is to become more consistent from 3-point range.

'I took four 3s and was like 1-for-4 or 1-for-5,' Morris said. 'They just want me to get my shot, as far as my 3-pointer, just shoot like 500 a day, 3-pointers. I've been doing that. That's the only thing they really said.'

Morris will attend training camp with the Nuggets and said after spending this week in Iowa, he'll travel back to Denver to continue working out. Even though he'll spend the majority of next season with the G-Leauge — Sioux Falls is a likely landing spot — the 6-foot-3 point guard knows he can carve out his niche and show his value.

'It's a long season. People may get hurt so I've just got to be ready,' Morris said. 'That's why every day I'm just going at it like I'm going to be a starter in the NBA. That's just my thing. It's my job now. That's my job is to be professional. I ain't got school or nothing. This is my job so I've got to take it serious.'