Los Angeles Lakers: 4 impending free agents likeliest to return next season
By Dalton Sell
Free-agent Markieff Morris wants to finish his career with the Los Angeles Lakers
Much like Wesley Matthews pleading his case to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers for next year, Markieff Morris also believes there is unfinished business in LA.
Morris knows what it is like to win with the Lakers as he was a midseason addition via the buyout market during the 2019-20 season, proving to be a key piece in the team’s title run. He saw a much smaller role in the postseason this year, and that certainly puts a question mark on his future with the franchise, als=though Morris made no bones about it that he wants to stay. Sitting down with the Los Angeles Times’ J. Brady McCollough in late May to discuss all things basketball, the journeyman stated that he wants LA to be the last stop in his career:
"“I hope this is the last stop of my career,” Markieff says. “I would do anything to get back. Playing with LeBron and AD in L.A. and winning multiple championships? That would be a perfect ending.”"
Morris is a solid role player that quickly made himself at home in Los Angeles. In addition to the grittiness and toughness he provides from a leadership perspective, he is also a solid two-way forward. If the 31-year-old is willing to accept a team-friendy deal, which he seems content with given the quote above, then this would be a justifiable move for the Lakers. Morris proved once before that he could help this team get to a championship and he could potentially do it again.