Markieff Morris has been sidelined since Dec. 26 after suffering a potentially serious neck injury. That hasn’t kept him out of the news: First the Wizards traded him to New Orleans in the Wesley Johnson deal, and then the Pelicans waived him, making Morris a free agent who would be valued on the open market.
Before talking to teams, Morris wanted to see a specialist and make sure his neck was healthy. He did just that, and his agent told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that Morris has now been cleared and suitors are lining up.
Morris is a stretch four/five (he played 65 percent of his minutes with the Wizards at center this season) averaging 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds a game, and he has shot 33.3 percent from three. He is a solid rotation big man coaches can count on, and that has real value in this league. Especially on teams looking at playoff runs.
The Lakers and Rockets are looking for frontline depth and shooting, and they are not alone, other teams will be interested as well. Morris will have landing spots to choose from, depending on what he prioritizes.
