Getty Markieff Morris, potential Net
Now that things have settled down in some respects for the Nets and their topsy-turvy roster, the team is left to fill some of the gaping holes it has been unable to address because of the NBA summer’s uncertainty. One of those has been a major concern and figured to remain so, no matter how things played out with star forward Kevin Durant.
The issue: Size up front. The Nets don’t have much. They’re likely to start Durant, a natural small forward, at power forward and probably will have thin-bodied 6-foot-11 Nic Claxton starting at center. There’s not much behind them, with second-year forward/center Day’Ron Sharpe the only true big-man reserve.
New addition T.J. Warren can play some minutes at power forward but, like Durant, he is more of a natural small forward. Swingman Ben Simmons is likely to get some frontcourt minutes, too, this season. Big-man depth is a big-time need in Brooklyn, and according to veteran reporter Marc Stein, a solution is close.
“The Nets have moved into advanced discussions with free agent forward Markieff Morris as Brooklyn seeks to bolster its frontcourt, league sources say,” Stein wrote on Twitter.
Nets Have Held Interest in Morris
The interest in Morris has gone back to last month, as the Nets were trying to choose a direction amid the Durant drama. At the time, an Eastern Conference general manager spoke to Heavy Sports about the future of Morris, who is 32 and entering his 12th NBA season. His most prominent recent contribution came in 2020, when he helped the Lakers to the NBA championship in the Orlando bubble.
Morris played the following season with the Lakers, too, averaging 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 19.7 minutes.
Morris spent last season with Miami, but suffered a severe whiplash injury after he was shoved by Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in a loss on November 8, the 10th game of the season. He returned in March for seven games, but only made one brief appearance in the Heat’s postseason run to the Eastern Conference finals.
Jokic and Markieff Morris both got ejected after exchanging fouls during Nuggets-Heat.
Morris was hurt but walked off the floor under his own power.
“Markieff Morris, it was a weird season for him, he had the whiplash from the (Nikola) Jokic altercation and he was not 100%,” the GM said. “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.”
The Nets could sign Morris with a minimum deal, or could give him a slightly better offer with part of their taxpayer midlevel, worth as much as $6.4 million. Morris was on a minimum with Miami last year and it’s hard to imagine him getting more than that this year.
‘He Brings That Grit’
One thing that figures to help Morris’ case with the Nets is that he is known for his experience level and his willingness to lead in the locker room. That could be important for a fractured Nets team that dealt with the Durant mess, the request to fire coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks, as well as Kyrie Irving’s apparent unhappiness, all while still waiting for Ben Simmons to finally appear in uniform after his February trade from Philadelphia for star guard James Harden.
The Nets need a sergeant. Morris, who has averaged 10.9 points and 5.2 rebounds (with 34.1% 3-point shooting) in his career, could be that.
“If you’re signing Markieff at this point you’re doing it because you need that toughness that he brings, that grit,” the GM said. “He can fill any role. He can start, he can come off the bench, he is going to be professional about it at this point. He is a good option as a small-ball center, the Lakers used him that way in the bubble (in 2020) and it worked. He will be 33 years old, he just wants to win. The big concern is, can he hit the 3 consistently? That’s been the question with him.”