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Los Angeles Lakers: Free-agent targets to complement Russell Westbrook

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 27: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on February 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. The New Orleans Pelicans won 123-95. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 27: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena on February 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. The New Orleans Pelicans won 123-95. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. Markieff Morris

If the Los Angeles Lakers do go through with slashing Russell Westbrook’s minutes and being smart about who he plays with then we could see him become a Rajon Rondo-type of role player for the team during the playoffs. Granted, Rondo had great chemistry with Anthony Davis and the same cannot be said for Westbrook.

As bad as it was last season, if Westbrook could just put his basketball ego aside and accept this kind of role then he could end up being very impactful for the Lakers off the bench. He is still really athletic and can facilitate the basketball. There is value there.

Markieff Morris is someone who thrived in playing alongside Rajon Rondo and benefitted from having a veteran distributor who could lead the bench unit. While it obviously had much more to do than just with Rondo, Morris did post the third-highest three-point percentage in a single playoff season in franchise histoy in 2020.

Morris has not really done much for the Heat as he did miss most of the season with an injury he suffered from the Nikola Jokic incident. He was already a minimum signing and it is safe to say that Miami is not going to be clinging to bring him back.

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Not only could Morris operate as a small-ball five for the Lakers but he also has value as a defensive wing. While he is not a lock-down defender, he is someone who has shown he can thrive in the right defensive role. He could essentially be what Trevor Ariza was supposed to be last season.

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