LA CLIPPERS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 27, 2021

Eric Bledsoe

Marcus Morris

Press Conference

Q. Eric, just talk to me about your level of excitement coming back here. Your career started here seems like forever ago, but your game has developed, and you've grown as a man, as well. Talk about coming back to the Clippers.

ERIC BLEDSOE: I definitely feel good. Got reunited with my man, my dog, so it's been fun. Just seeing old faces, too, seeing old faces around the facility, seeing how much things have changed since I've been gone. But you've got me feeling old, man, dang.

Q. I think by all accounts, last year was a bit of an odd year for you. I think the fit was a little odd. How do you fit with this team and how do you bring your best attitudes to this team?

ERIC BLEDSOE: Definitely, I'm a veteran, know where I fit in a little bit with this group. But obviously we pretty much came in together. Obviously on different teams, but everybody has had some success.

I went to the Eastern Conference Finals, so I got a little bit of experience, so I think in that category I fit in perfectly, my style of play, run, get up the floor a little bit. I think that, as well, helps the team out.

Q. Last year was an interesting year, just coming off the bubble, having to physically get ready for that, and then as physically taxing as the Playoffs were, you knew what you needed to do to get ready for this season. How do you feel like this off-season went as far as getting your body ready for this year?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: First it was good to be able to travel and like have a vacation with my family, so I enjoyed that part. Just to kind of decompress from the season. I thought it obviously didn't end how we wanted, but as a whole, doing the things that we went through was pretty good. For me personally, just continuing to get better. Obviously starting the season without Kawhi, my level of play has to go up, and I think as a team, all of our level has to go up because we're missing a big piece.

But I think we be straight. We've got EB, we added a couple pieces, and we still have vets, we still have that main core, so I think we'll be straight.

Q. Bled, I know it was a difficult year relatively speaking with New Orleans, but you did play the Clippers twice and beat them twice. Where are you looking to take away from the successes that you did have last season as far as bouncing back here this season in LA?

ERIC BLEDSOE: Like you said, man, this is all about adversity. It's a lot of ups and downs throughout the season.

As far as like you said, as a team, we're missing a big piece, just everybody has got to up their play a little bit. I bring a defensive caliber, a player coming in to help with anything on the floor, and just experienced, too.

I've been in the league a little while now, so I pretty much know what it takes.

Q. Marcus, a couple of years ago you went to New York and you said you were really excited about having the ball in your hand. You get traded to the Clippers in a roundabout way, proved last year that you're really the ultimate team player, volunteering to come off the bench. Now with Kawhi out you're in the starting lineup. How much do you embrace likely more responsibility this year both on offense and defense?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: We kind of got a taste of it last year when K missed a few games. For me, man, I think it's more about just taking care of my body. I feel like the game just speaks for itself. I'm a vet, I've been around, I've played for a few times. My numbers across the board are about the same. Just being able to continue to help be a good leader wherever they need me at I think is easy for me to step in. If it's just be a shooter, then be able to get downhill and let them create, then that's what I'm going to do, and just find my opportunities and stay super efficient, continue to lead the team.

Q. Eric, when you started with the Clippers, they were in a much different position and much different perspective from the outside looking in. Now here we are 11 years later, constant playoff team. Your differences, what you see with this organization from when you first started here back in 2010 to now returning here with championship aspirations, Hall of Fame players and such?

ERIC BLEDSOE: I mean, like you said, when I first got here we was pretty much in rebuild mode. As the years went on, the organization definitely looked its way to high expectations. They've got expectations now.

Me, like I said, I'm coming in as a veteran player now in a different role. Just come in, like Book said, just help the team out the best way I can, whether going up the best player one night, next night, get downhill, whatever the case is, cheering my teammates on. So whatever the case may be, that's what I'm going to do.

Q. Last year you really sang the praises of Paul George, and Paul was just in here talking about how he loves this roster and he's incredibly comfortable in a good head space, ready to be the No. 1 option and lead this team. What have you seen from him so far in this off-season, and what do you expect of Paul while Kawhi is out?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: I expect Paul to be Paul. Being around him and playing against him for multiple years and seeing what he did last year, what Kawhi did, I know he's super excited about this opportunity. Obviously it's unfortunate that K is out, but like I said, for other guys, it's like that they can step in and kind of build their careers out.

P is one of those guys that is a great leader, great player, great teammate. I think it's going to be easy for him, man, because when superstars or guys are comfortable, it's easy to get the best out of them, and I think he's finally found somewhere where he's super comfortable where everybody understands him and let him be him. That's one of the biggest parts in the NBA to bring the best out of a player.

Like we seen last year, I think he's just getting started, honestly.

Q. Eric, what are you most excited about coming back to LA all these years later? Is there something you're most excited to return to, a favorite spot, a place you like to visit, anything like that?

ERIC BLEDSOE: Just seeing old faces, man, seeing old faces, getting a great start. I mean, just who doesn't love coming to LA. It's definitely a great opportunity.

Q. Marcus, you finished last season kind of with the sense of confidence that you were going to get Kawhi and all the guys back. How good does it feel to have everybody back now?

MARCUS MORRIS SR.: It's a great thing. A lot of times in this league you have a different roster each year, and you can't kind of bring back the core guys. To be able to bring back all our core guys and then bring like -- be able to bring E-Bled in, I think that's going to be very, very beneficial for us, another veteran that's been around the league, that understands the game and that got drafted here, too. That's another significance for our team. He's coming in fitting in right away. It's going to be a good year, man. Going to be a good year.