Markieff Morris would add grit Warriors lost in free agency

While Markieff Morris didn’t play much a season ago after his injury following a dirty shove by Nikola Jokic, the forward would offer grit to a Golden State Warriors team that lost one of the league’s most hard-nosed players.

Morris was with the Heat and ended the season with just 17 games played. He should be able to return to the court at full strength though.

The Golden State Warriors lost a stretch-four talent and an enforcer. They could get a little of both by signing Heat forward Markieff Morris.

The 6-foot-9 Morris is now 32 years old. A former Jayhawks standout, Morris has been around the league, playing for the Heat, Wizards, Suns, Lakers and Pistons. Now a free agent, Morris has yet to sign.

The Warriors, on the other hand, have lost Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II.

A departure for Golden state that needs to be talked about more is Nemanja Bjelica. Bjelica and Porter Jr. added three-point shooting while Payton II turned into one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA.

Assuming he can get back to near full strength, Morris would help solve most of what Golden State lost in free agency. In his career, while not a high-volume three-point shooter, Morris is averaging .8 made threes per game, shooting a solid 34% from deep.

For five straight seasons, Morris averaged double-figures, so the ability to score is there as well. Morris is a gritty defender that can also step up and be a force for Golden State, much like Draymond Green.

Morris hasn’t played more than 65 games in four straight seasons, so the Dubs would want to do their due diligence and understand if the veteran forward has potential to stay on the court.

However, his career numbers and just what he could bring to the team make him an ideal addition for the Warriors. He should be hovering around that vetteran’s minimum, so it would make sense for Morris to ink a deal with Golden State.