Markieff Morris was one of the most important players in the Los Angeles Lakers’ title run. For a player that was scooped in the buyout market, it was an insane value signing. Unfortunately for Morris, an increased demand and short season took away from his game. He also faced the uphill battle of a deeper roster up until both Anthony Davis and LeBron James went down.
Things didn’t turn out how Morris expected in free agency. He landed with the Miami Heat. Presumably, former Heat forward Trevor Ariza and Carmelo Anthony will hold down his minutes. Both players will man the forward and center-ish spot where Morris was effective.
Although Morris ended up with the Miami Heat once free agency was winding down, he recently told Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel that the Lakers’ disinterest in him was “unexpected”. Here’s his full quote below:
“It was super unexpected. For sure, I thought I was going back to the Lakers. But, sometimes I’m not in teams’ plans and that’s how it works sometimes.”
Morris will be missed next year. He brought the team a much-needed versatility and tough nature. He may even go down as one of the most useful buyout signings that they ever made, given the immediate impact. With the Lakers in his rear view, you know that Morris is going to have some extra juice when the two teams meet again. It’s sure to be a great one with both franchises wanting to compete for a title this year.
