Latest news with #MarkieffMorris
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Champion Names ‘Perfect' Spot for Kevin Durant
NBA Champion Names 'Perfect' Spot for Kevin Durant originally appeared on Athlon Sports. In a recent discussion on ESPN's "Get Up," 2020 NBA champion Markieff Morris endorsed Miami as the ideal destination for Kevin Durant. Advertisement Morris, who played for the Miami Heat, praised the team's culture and coaching under Erik Spoelstra. "For the little bit of time I played in Miami, that was the best brand of basketball I've been apart of. Spo does a great job of getting the best out of guys and I think that's a perfect spot for him. The East is wide open and he can flourish there" Morris said. He highlighted Spoelstra's ability to maximize player potential, suggesting Durant would thrive in the Heat's system. The Heat's winning culture, combined with players like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, could create a formidable team. Durant, 36, is no stranger to winning basketball, and is coming off a season in which he averaged 26.6 points per game on a stellar 52.7% shooting from the field. Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin DurantRick Scuteri-Imagn Images Spoelstra's system would give Durant a gritty defense to lean back on, something he has lacked greatly in his tenure with the Suns. Advertisement Moreover, with an Eastern Conference that's looked as open as ever after the Pacers marched through it in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Heat could give Durant a chance to get back to the NBA Finals and claim his coveted third title. This endorsement comes as Durant remains a hot topic in trade rumors, with the Suns reportedly close to a deal. Morris's insight, backed by his championship experience, adds a compelling perspective to Durant's potential move, emphasizing Miami's appeal as a basketball haven. Related: Shams Reveals How Close Heat Are to Pulling Off Kevin Durant Trade This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Markieff Morris comments on Luka Doncic looking slimmer
Veteran big man Markieff Morris may or may not be back with the Los Angeles Lakers next season. However, he does seem to have a real friendship with superstar Luka Doncic. He was included in the Feb. 1 trade that brought Doncic to the Lakers and immediately changed their trajectory for the better. He barely played for the rest of the season, but he may have a little bit left in the tank should L.A. decide to bring him back. Advertisement One thing that will determine how high L.A.'s new trajectory gets is how much Doncic improves his fitness and conditioning. He looked noticeably slimmer in a recent photo that was taken of him at a Real Madrid game, and at least one report has indicated that he is changing his mindset and actions as far as how he's taking care of his body. Morris went on ESPN's "First Take" on Monday and talked about how this offseason has given Doncic the opportunity to get his body right. "Like Stephen A. said, that regimen in the season you would think we're in better shape because of the season, but when you're eating hotel food, you're getting in at 3 o'clock in the morning in different cities, you have to eat at 4 o'clock in the morning with a back-to-back," Morris said. "All that stuff takes a toll on your body. The stress of being in a long season, the stress of being traded mid-season. It's just the things he went through last year. He's back in Madrid, I know how he likes Madrid, we were in Madrid last year with the team. He's back in his environment, he's having a great time, and right now I don't even think he's worried about anything. I just think he's happy that this season is over. I don't think he's happy how this season ended, but I think he's happy it's over. He's going to regroup. Like Stephen A. said, when you're in the summer, you're eating that good food, you got that regimen, you got that chef, anything is possible when it comes to losing weight." Many have criticized Doncic for being overweight and out of shape, as well as having unhealthy habits. The fact that he looks slimmer just a few weeks after the Lakers were knocked out of the NBA playoffs means he has already adopted healthier habits, which will make it easier for him to maintain and build on those healthier habits when next season gets underway. He has already been one of basketball's most prolific players ever over the last six seasons. A leaner, fitter and more motivated Doncic could become a huge nightmare for the rest of the league, not to mention someone who could deliver at least one NBA championship to the Lakers. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Markieff Morris comments on Luka Doncic looking slimmer
USA Today
28-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Markieff Morris comments on Luka Doncic looking slimmer
Markieff Morris comments on Luka Doncic looking slimmer Veteran big man Markieff Morris may or may not be back with the Los Angeles Lakers next season. However, he does seem to have a real friendship with superstar Luka Doncic. He was included in the Feb. 1 trade that brought Doncic to the Lakers and immediately changed their trajectory for the better. He barely played for the rest of the season, but he may have a little bit left in the tank should L.A. decide to bring him back. One thing that will determine how high L.A.'s new trajectory gets is how much Doncic improves his fitness and conditioning. He looked noticeably slimmer in a recent photo that was taken of him at a Real Madrid game, and at least one report has indicated that he is changing his mindset and actions as far as how he's taking care of his body. Morris went on ESPN's "First Take" on Monday and talked about how this offseason has given Doncic the opportunity to get his body right. "Like Stephen A. said, that regimen in the season you would think we're in better shape because of the season, but when you're eating hotel food, you're getting in at 3 o'clock in the morning in different cities, you have to eat at 4 o'clock in the morning with a back-to-back," Morris said. "All that stuff takes a toll on your body. The stress of being in a long season, the stress of being traded mid-season. It's just the things he went through last year. He's back in Madrid, I know how he likes Madrid, we were in Madrid last year with the team. He's back in his environment, he's having a great time, and right now I don't even think he's worried about anything. I just think he's happy that this season is over. I don't think he's happy how this season ended, but I think he's happy it's over. He's going to regroup. Like Stephen A. said, when you're in the summer, you're eating that good food, you got that regimen, you got that chef, anything is possible when it comes to losing weight." Many have criticized Doncic for being overweight and out of shape, as well as having unhealthy habits. The fact that he looks slimmer just a few weeks after the Lakers were knocked out of the NBA playoffs means he has already adopted healthier habits, which will make it easier for him to maintain and build on those healthier habits when next season gets underway. He has already been one of basketball's most prolific players ever over the last six seasons. A leaner, fitter and more motivated Doncic could become a huge nightmare for the rest of the league, not to mention someone who could deliver at least one NBA championship to the Lakers.
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Brooklyn Nets jersey history No. 13 - Markieff Morris (2022-23)
Brooklyn Nets jersey history No. 13 - Markieff Morris (2022-23) The Brooklyn Nets have 52 jersey numbers worn by over 600 different players over the course of their history since the franchise was founded in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association (ABA), when the team was known as the "New Jersey Americans". Since then, that league has been absorbed by the NBA with the team that would later become the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets before settling on the name by which they are known today, bringing their rich player and jersey history with them to the league of today. To commemorate the players who played for the Nets over the decades wearing those 52 different jersey numbers, Nets Wire is covering the entire history of the franchise's jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. The 15th of those 52 different numbers is jersey No. 13 which has has had a total of 18 players wear the number in the history of the team. The seventh of those players wearing No. 13 played in the Brooklyn Nets era, forward alum Markieff Morris. After ending his college career at Kansas, Morris was picked up with the 13th overall selection of the 2011 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native would play parts of the first five seasons of his pro career with the Suns. He would also have stints with the Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat before he would sign with Brooklyn in 2022. His stay with the team would span just 27 games before he'd be dealt to the Dallas Mavericks in 2023. During his time suiting up for the Nets, Morris wore only jersey No. 13 and put up 3.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
USA Today
14-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lakers player grades: L.A. drops meaningless regular-season finale
Lakers player grades: L.A. drops meaningless regular-season finale After clinching the third seed in the Western Conference with a 140-109 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers played a largely meaningless game on Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers to close out the regular season. This game was even more meaningless given the fact that they opted to rest most of their rotational players, including all five of their starters. It was an opportunity for some of the Lakers' young prospects and benchwarmers to get significant playing time. While a few of them performed well, the team as a whole didn't. After a relatively competitive first quarter, Los Angeles fell apart, as it got outrebounded badly and regularly gave the ball away. It shot just 38.8% from the field and gave up 27 offensive rebounds, which led to 34 second-chance points, and it committed 21 turnovers while getting outscored 52-34 in the paint. The result was a 109-81 loss for L.A. Now it is time for the team to get ready to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Markieff Morris: B-plus Morris, a veteran power forward/center who played on the Lakers when they won the NBA championship in 2020, started at the 4 and had a solid game. He made half of his 10 shot attempts, got four rebounds, dished off six assists and added one steal and one block in 33 minutes. It is very unlikely he will see any playing time in the playoffs, except perhaps in garbage time, but he did show that he has a little bit of game left in his 35-year-old body. Alex Len: D-plus Len showed why he never really cracked head coach JJ Redick's rotation after he was signed from the buyout market in February. He played just 14 minutes and only mustered four points, two rebounds, one assist and one block. He isn't the defensive presence near the rim the Lakers hoped he could be, and offensively, he makes just about no impact. Shake Milton: C-plus Milton is another player whom some held out some hope for when he joined the team earlier this season. He was included in the trade that brought Dorian Finney-Smith to L.A. in late December, but he hasn't been able to deliver consistent results, especially on the offensive end of the court. On Sunday, the guard played 43 minutes, but he made only five of his 15 shot attempts. He was able to score a decent 16 points by hitting five of his six free throw attempts, and he chipped in three assists, two rebounds, one steal and one block. Dalton Knecht: A-minus Knecht, the No. 17 pick in last year's NBA draft, reminded everyone of his potential on Sunday. He had fallen out of the rotation over the last few weeks, but he played 37 minutes versus Portland and shot 9-of-21 overall and 5-of-12 from 3-point range. He ended up scoring 27 points, and he also added eight rebounds and even blocked two shots. Bronny James: D James had a strong and promising regular season in the G League. But Sunday was a reminder that he just isn't ready for the NBA. Despite largely playing under control, he went just 2-of-10 from the field and was limited to four points. He did, however, finish with six assists, four steals and three rebounds in 38 minutes. Jordan Goodwin: B-minus Goodwin, who was called up from the G League several weeks ago, seems to have firmly entrenched himself in Redick's rotation. The 6-foot-5 guard shot 5-of-14 on Sunday but made two of his five 3-point attempts, giving him 12 points plus seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. He is a significant part of the Lakers' new identity as a team that is able to grind and hustle when needed. While none of the team's reserves have the ability to be true scoring threats, Goodwin has joined Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent as legitimate hard-hat players off the bench. Christian Koloko: A-minus Koloko, a seven-foot tall 24-year-old center who is on a two-way contract, is someone the Lakers have been hoping to develop into a legitimate rotational player, especially given their weak center rotation. On Sunday, he played like someone worthy of a spot in the rotation. He grabbed eight rebounds and blocked five shots in just 19 minutes, and in his spare time, he made two of his four shot attempts to score four points. Trey Jemison III: B Jemison, another two-way center, played a solid game on Sunday. In 25 minutes, he came down with eight rebounds and added three points, one assist and one block. However, he committed five turnovers.
