Getty Markieff Morris of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Markieff Morris was a late arrival to the NBA bubble in Orlando and has yet to make it on the court for either of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ scrimmages, despite being cleared from quarantine.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel spoke on the team’s game plan for Morris following the matchup with the Magic on Saturday.
“He’s ready to go. He wants to play. But it’s going to take some time. We’re just being intelligent,” Vogel told reporters. “He was willing to get in there for a few minutes, get his feet wet, (but) we just felt like we were gonna wait one more game.”
Markieff Morris arrived in the bubble on a similar timeline with his brother, Marcus, who plays for the Clippers and logged nearly 20 minutes in his debut and 25 minutes on Saturday.
“Each team makes their own decisions with their own players. Each player has a different set of circumstances. Even between Markieff and his brother, there is a different set of circumstances involved there,” Vogel said. “It’s a case-by-case thing.
“Midseason mode takes a long time to get to,” Vogel added. “We’re going to try to bring them along at a pace where we’re still using these seeding games to get to where we want to be. Not trying to force it so that everyone is ready in midseason mode by the beginning of these seeding games. I think those are still part of the build up.”
Morris is expected to play in the team’s third scrimmage on Monday against the Washington Wizards.
Markieff Morris Will be Key Piece of Lakers Bench
GettyLakers forward Markieff Morris.
Morris signed with the Lakers shortly before the season was put on hold. He played in eight games, averaging 14.8 minutes, 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. Most importantly, he brought an improved sense of toughness to the lineup.
Morris started his season in Detroit, where he appeared in 44 games with 16 starts. He averaged 11 points and 3.9 rebounds with the Pistons before being waived.
“Me, personally, I’m just trying to be the X-Factor that we need,” Morris said shortly after signing. “Whatever’s needed out of me, I want to come in and provide. That’s just where it’s at. However, they use me is how they use me.”
Markieff Morris Can Help Make Lakers More Physical
Vogel said the biggest thing he’s looking forward to with Morris in the lineup is the toughness he brings.
“We want to be the most physical team in the NBA, and that’s the thing that strikes me first in terms of getting him back on the court,” Vogel said shortly after Morris joined the team in Orlando.
He also think Morris being in the rotation gives the Lakers more flexibility for who they put on the floor.
“In the modern NBA, you really — in my opinion — you have a point guard, a center and you have wings, and he just adds to our depth at that position,” Vogel said earlier this season. “All of our wings have slightly different skill sets with defensive matchups, offensive skillsets of what they’re able to do, and he just rounds us out a little bit more and adds that type of depth that could help us down the stretch and in some of these playoff series that we’re hoping to be in.”
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