New Los Angeles Lakers forward Markieff Morris said on Tuesday that he’s focused on contributing to the team, with Kyle Kuzma hopefully becoming the beneficiary of those efforts.
Markieff Morris just said he is trying to come in and be “the X-factor” for the Lakers and that his presence will allow Kuzma to spend more time at “his natural position” at the 3.
— Bill Oram (@billoram) February 25, 2020
🎥Markieff Morris talks about joining the Lakers and the role he hopes to play pic.twitter.com/UXvbJ63k4f
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 25, 2020
Morris was recently bought out of his contract with the Detroit Pistons and then signed with the Lakers.
The 30-year-old Morris is with his fourth different team in the last two seasons, but can still provide solid support to the Lakers front line. He averaged 11.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game this season with the Pistons.
Kuzma is listed as a power forward and is currently averaging 12.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists for the 2019-20 campaign.
While those numbers are down from Kuzma’s first two seasons with the Lakers, that’s more the byproduct of his new role of coming off the bench. That’s a lineup decision largely necessitated by the arrival of Anthony Davis during the offseason.
Whether or not Kuzma would be more successful as a small forward, as Morris suggests, is debatable.
However, the arrival of Morris certainly bolsters the depth of the Lakers as they head toward their first postseason action since 2013.
Morris is poised to play his first game for the Lakers in Tuesday night’s home contest against the New Orleans Pelicans.
