Getty Marcus (left, Clippers) and Markieff (right, Lakers) Morris
There’s a good chance the Brooklyn Nets’ roster will undergo a big overhaul this offseason, but the core group will remain.
Barring a blockbuster trade, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons and Kevin Durant should all return and form a new Big 3 in Brooklyn. However, there’s pretty much nobody else on the roster that should feel safe and secure with their current spot.
Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and LaMarcus Aldridge are all free agents that aren’t locks to return, and if that happens then the Nets will need to turn their attention elsewhere.
Markieff Morris is a name who was linked to the Nets by an Eastern Conference general manager when asked by Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney about possible free agency targets.
Morris only appeared in 17 games with the Heat this past season due to an injury sustained by being shoved in the back by MVP Nikola Jokic.
Nets Bringing on Morris?
Getty ImagesMarkieff Morris and Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat.
Over the past several years, Morris has adjusted to a new role coming off the bench, and when he’s healthy he’s proven he can do that. He can provide solid defense, good shooting and a sense of toughness the Nets could use.
The GM argues the 2020 NBA champ would give a lot to the Nets, and considering he’d likely sign for the minimum, Morris is a player Brooklyn could target.
“I think they would be looking to pluck some guys from some of the better teams in the league. Markieff Morris, it was a weird season for him, he had the whiplash from the Jokic altercation and he was not 100 percent,” said the GM. “He did not get a chance to play there. But when it comes to toughness, experience, all of that, he is someone they could use, someone they could sign on a minimum deal and probably get pretty good value.”
Morris is 32 years old, so he has some left in the tank to help contribute to a winning team, especially with the Nets.
Nets Need Toughness
GettyKyrie Irving.
The Nets were punished by the Celtics in the playoffs due to their physicality, especially the way Durant was defended. While Morris wouldn’t be able to stop that from happening, he would bring some toughness to the team.
We’ve seen players like Draymond Green, PJ Tucker, Patrick Beverley and several others set the tone for their teams, and each one of them is a player any fan wants on their team but is somebody they hate when their team goes against them.
Morris can still chip in around 20 minutes a game and provide scoring, so getting a player like him for cheap can go a long way to help fill out the bench. This won’t solve all of the problems for the Nets, but it would fill a big void.
Finding out what the future looks like for their stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are more important, and there are a lot of question marks at the moment. Durant has reportedly not been in contact with the Nets since the season ended, but that might be a case of reading too much into it.
No matter what the case may be, this will be an important offseason for Brooklyn.
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