Luka Doncic wasn’t the only player the Los Angeles Lakers received in that monumental trade with the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 1. They also obtained big men Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, both of whom are grizzled veterans and have been around for years.
Morris had actually been a member of the Lakers in the recent past. He signed with them late in the 2019-20 season from the buyout market after spending much of the season with the Detroit Pistons, and he helped out off the bench as Los Angeles won the NBA championship that year.
His ability to hit shots from the perimeter, as well as his 6-foot-9, 245-pound frame, make him an option that teams can still go to off the bench, even though he’s 35 years of age.
Markieff Morris’ season stats
In eight regular-season games with the Lakers, Morris averaged 5.5 points, 2.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 15.5 minutes a game while shooting 33.3% from the field and 30.4% from 3-point range.
Overall Analysis
Morris isn’t quite the player he was five years ago, when he posted averages of 5.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 18.3 minutes a game and shot 44.9% overall and 42% from downtown in 21 playoff games with the Lakers.
He was seemingly glued to the bench upon coming back to the Southland, even though the team badly needed some beef up front and additional 3-point shooting threats.
However, there was one game in which he got a chance to play some meaningful minutes and actually produced. That came in L.A.’s regular-season finale at the Portland Trail Blazers when head coach JJ Redick decided to rest just about all of his regular rotation players.
Morris started and played 33 minutes and scored 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field. He also contributed six assists, four rebounds, one steal and one block.
However, he didn’t get on the court at all during the team’s five-game loss in the first round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Morris’ contract situation
Morris will be a free agent this summer. He would likely command no more than the NBA veteran’s minimum salary, and thus, perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Lakers to keep him around, as long as they have a roster spot open for him.
After all, he did play with them during that 2020 playoff run and the entire 2020-21 season, which means LeBron James knows how to play with him and maximize him. He won’t help alleviate the Lakers’ lack of rebounding or defense in the paint, but he can space the floor a bit, which is something they need, and he can play both the power forward and center positions.
