Veteran NBA forward Marcus Morris was arrested Sunday in Florida on a felony warrant related to a charge of writing a bad check, according to arrest records from the Broward County Sheriff's Office.
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The 35-year-old was taken into custody in Fort Lauderdale and held without bond. Authorities said the warrant originated in another state and involved a check written with insufficient funds.
Shortly after the arrest was made public, Morris' twin brother, Markieff, took to social media to defend him. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Markieff called the charge misleading and criticized the way authorities handled the situation.
"The wording is crazy," he wrote. "Damn for that amount of money they'll embarrass you in the airport with your family. They got y'all really thinking bro did some fraud. They could have came to the crib for all that. When y'all hear the real story... all I can say is lesson learned. Bro will tell y'all tomorrow."
Agent Yony Noy, who has represented the Morris twins in the past, also responded to the reports, saying the case involved an unpaid casino marker and not a fraudulent act.
"Just so everyone understands, this is zero fraud here or whatever crap outlets have said," Noy wrote. "This is due to an outstanding marker with a casino. Apparently, if you have over $1,200 they can issue a warrant for your arrest. Absolute insanity!"
Morris has earned over $100 million in his NBA career, making the nature of the charge surprising to many. A casino-related debt aligns more closely with the statements from those close to him.
Morris last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2023-24 season after signing briefly with the New York Knicks. He was waived before appearing in a game for New York.
Originally drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2011 with the 14th overall pick, Morris has suited up for multiple teams over 13 seasons. He averaged a career-best 19.6 points per game during a 43-game stretch with the Knicks in 2019-20. For his career, he has averaged 12 points and 4.4 rebounds.
Earlier this year, Morris began appearing as a guest on ESPN's "First Take," where he made headlines for his outspoken takes, including a controversial comment aimed at the Memphis Grizzlies.
