In a move that allowed the Washington Wizards to evade the luxury tax for this season, Markieff Morris was moved late Wednesday night to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Wesley Johnson. It appears that he won’t ever take the court as a Pelican, though, as the Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that New Orleans will be releasing the veteran forward.
Sources: The New Orleans Pelicans are releasing forward Markieff Morris, who is currently dealing with an injury.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 8, 2019
Morris hasn’t played since December but was having a productive season with the Wizards. In the 34 games he has played this season, he is averaging 11.5 points 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.4 3’s, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 26 minutes of action.
New Orleans moving on from him quickly made sense, as there is a real possibility that the rest of their series operates with a focus of obtaining the best pick possible in the upcoming draft, as the Pelicans have fallen out of the Western Conference playoff picture. As for Morris, whenever he is able to return from injury he will have plenty of options, as multiple teams could use a proven big man who can hit from the perimeter.
The Houston Rockets will likely be in the mix, as he would add a defensive edge lacking from the team currently. The Toronto Raptors, whose trade deadline dealings have left them severely in need of players to fill out the roster, could be another landing spot for Morris. The league could even see a reunion of him and his twin brother, Marcus Morris, if the Boston Celtics have interest in bringing him aboard. With many names in play for teams shopping the buyout market, it could be a while before we see him find his next stop.
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