Getty Markieff Morris guarding Brandon Ingram.
Heads were turned recently when Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll pointed out that Markieff Morris has been noticeably absent from media that the Los Angeles Lakers have released since entering the bubble in Orlando. Morris is one of the newest members of the team as he was signed shortly before the NBA season was suspended. He figures to be a key role player for the team in the reboot of the season, but his absence seems strange.
As of now, nobody has confirmed or denied that Morris is currently at the bubble in Orlando. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel was asked about the forward on Wednesday and gave a very cryptic answer.
“We’re not trying to comment too much on individual players’ performances,” Vogel said, per Ryan Ward. “I can’t comment on which guys are here and which guys are not here.”
It would be very strange if Morris was there and Vogel didn’t acknowledge that he was. There’s no media access during the Lakers’ practice, so it’s almost impossible to know if Morris has arrived without the team confirming it.
Rob Pelinka Mentioned Morris in Conference Call Recently
If something has happened to Morris that caused him to not come to the bubble, it must’ve happened recently. Just a couple of weeks ago, Vice President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka mentioned Morris on a conference call.
“It’s too early to really start to talk about rotation, starting lineup because this process is so fluid,” Pelinka said, per Mike Trudell. We’re excited that right before the hiatus we added Dion Waiters and Markieff Morris.”
That sounds like somebody who was expecting to have Morris around. Also, Lakers guard Alex Caruso mentioned the forward in a Q&A with The Athletic on Wednesday:
Then when you put shooting around them like Dion or J.R., it opens up the floor. So it’s exciting for me to be able to play with them. If I’m out there with a lineup that has J.R., Dion, Kuz and Dwight or even throw Markieff [Morris] in there with somebody, it’s a lot of shooting with a lob threat at the rim. That’s a point guard’s dream.
Caruso probably wouldn’t be as in the know as Vogel or Pelinka, but he’d likely at least have an idea of whether or not Morris was going to play. Now, this is all speculation at this point. There’s been no indication that the forward is injured or anything of that nature. He could be running a little late for a number of reasons. He could also be quarantining. The Lakers are respecting the privacy of their players. If they knew he wasn’t going to play, they probably would’ve announced something already.
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Marcus Morris May Also Be Missing
Interestingly enough, Markieff’s brother Marcus doesn’t appear to be at the bubble either. Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers was asked about Morris and gave a cryptic answer like Vogel.
Asked whether Landry Shamet, Ivica Zubac or Marcus Morris have arrived on campus yet and begun the quarantine process, Doc Rivers said he doesn’t know. The Clippers do have JaMychal Green available for practice today, for the first time.
The Morris brothers are twins and were likely living together while they were both in Los Angeles. Thanks to how Rivers and Vogel are keeping things close to the vest, an answer on where the Morris brothers are might not come easily. The NBA season is set to reboot in about two weeks so we’ll have an answer at some point.
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