Los Angeles Lakers grades, the wings:
Markieff Morris: C
Morris didn’t have a great shooting percentage this season as he only shot 40%, which was near the lowest for his entire career. He also scored a career-low 6.7 points and shot just 31% from three-point.
All that being said, I have always liked Morris as he is a scrapper and very talented and when he gets into a grove, he can really help. In the playoffs, he can be a big help because he can run the floor well in a very up-tempo type of offense or help out moving the ball around the key and playing in a slower tempo offense.
Morris is a very intelligent player who has hustle, heart, and an edge to him that makes him very important to the team.
Wesley Matthews: C
Matthews scored a career-low 4.8 points per game this season and averaged 35% from the field, which was the lowest of his career, not to mention a career-low of 33% from three-point.
We knew he was supposed to help on the defensive side of the ball and there were times when he did but there were times when he looked a bit lost. That being said, he can help the team in the playoffs with his years of experience as that is one of the reasons why the team signed him.
Frank Vogel likes to mix it up when it comes to the lineups and Matthews has been one of those players that have filled in at times depending on what lineup was in the game.
Ben McLemore: C+
Yeah, he only played in 21 games but you know what? He did provide a spark for the Lakers at times, coming off the bench and adding another long-range shooter to the mix.
In his short time with the team, he averaged 8 points per game. He might not get a lot of playing time in the playoffs, but if he does, he could come in handy as he can be deadly when he is in a groove with his long-range jumper or from three-point.
It could possibly help us very much if and when he gets into the game and starts to find his touch from long range or if the team needs another long shooting touch. He could also be the type of player that puts the icing on the cake to help close out games with his three-point shooting ability.