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Why Markieff Morris may not finish the season with the Los Angeles Lakers

By Jason Reed

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 25: Head coach Frank Vogel congratulates Markieff Morris #88 of the Los Angeles Lakers as he leaves the game during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 25, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 25: Head coach Frank Vogel congratulates Markieff Morris #88 of the Los Angeles Lakers as he leaves the game during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on January 25, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Markieff Morris was such a good pickup for the Los Angeles Lakers last season. The buyout signing shot lights out from beyond the arc in the NBA Playoffs, shooting 42% on 69 attempts. It was the third-best three-point percentage with that many attempts in the playoffs in franchise history.

Re-signing Morris this past offseason was a no-brainer for Rob Pelinka. He signed on a league-minimum deal to give the Lakers that same depth he did last season.

Now, as we are approaching the halfway point of the 2020-21 season, it seems legitimately possible that Morris might not even finish the season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Player movement is common halfway through the season, especially on a contending team like the Lakers that has LeBron James. If certain pieces are not working they get moved for other pieces. It is that simple.

Morris could be that moving piece and could be the biggest name on the Lakers that gets exported.

Why Markieff Morris might not finish the season on the Los Angeles Lakers

I have broken it down into three key reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers may move Markieff Morris; starting with the most obvious.

1. Markieff Morris is playing poorly this season

The same Markieff Morris that showed up in the NBA Playoffs last season has not arrived for the Los Angeles Lakers this year. Maybe he and twin brother Marcus Morris have pulled a parent trap switch on us and Marcus is the one struggling for the Lakers.

Morris got another contract and got a place in the rotation because of how he played last in the playoffs. If he is not playing like that, or even playing close to that, then it becomes much easier to justify moving on from him.

Morris is averaging 4.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 15.2 minutes per game this season. He is shooting 36.7% from the field and 30.3% from beyond the arc. His 46.9% effective field goal percentage is 7% lower than last season and 12.8% lower than it was in the NBA Playoffs.

We should have all expected a dip from his playoff numbers, but not a dip this large. He has a negative Value Over Replacement Player (-0.2), the worst Box Plus/Minus of his career (-3.7) and the lowest PER of his career (7.6).

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