Championship-winning Lakers that may be back in LA by Opening Night
By Jason Reed
2. Markieff Morris
Unlike Danny Green, Markieff Morris actually played a big role in the Lakers’ 2020 championship run. The midseason addition was one of the best role players on the team during the NBA Playoffs and even had a postseason run that was worth remembering.
Morris shot 42% from beyond the arc in that playoff run, making it the fifth-highest three-point percentage for any Lakers player in a playoff run with at least 60 attempts. At the time it was the fourth-highest but was recently surpassed by Austin Reaves’ red-hot 2023 postseason.
Just imagine if Morris was able to play his way into the back end of the playoff rotation and could put together a similar postseason run. If he and Reaves shot similarly then that would give the Lakers two great off-ball options.
Markieff Morris checks the boxes the Lakers are currently looking for
It seems like a matter of if, not when, the Lakers will sign another center. The team has also insisted that it is looking for a floor-spacing big, which Morris would certainly provide.
Morris is not a traditional five but with Anthony Davis and Jaxson Hayes already on the roster the team may not need a traditional five. The Lakers just need someone who can log center minutes off the bench while providing a different offensive outlook. Morris is that guy.