Los Angeles Lakers forward Markieff Morris is set to join the team soon after being away. According to sources close to Morris, he was away due to an “excused absence.” What does that mean exactly? No one knows for sure except Morris and Lakers officials.
Of course, speculations are out there that he may have been exposed to COVID-19, but again, nothing is confirmed. That would be the first obvious issue that could have kept Morris away but who knows. If that is the case, Morris being away for that time was the smart move.
Lakers VP Rob Pelinka did chime in on the topic of private medical issues “We’re not going to really get into the topic of sharing private medical information or HIPAA protected stuff.”
“I think what we’re seeing in the league is some people choose to step forward and talk about a positive test and their journey. We want those rights to come from those individuals.” – Rob Pelinka
The Lakers brought in Morris in February after he and the Detroit Pistons agreed on a buyout. So far, Morris has appeared in 8 games for LA and averaged 4.8 points and 3.3 rebounds. He is shooting a mere 38.9 percent from the floor and a so-so 28.6 percent from the 3-point range. As you can see, he’s still trying to find his groove in the purple and gold.
Being that Rajon Rondo is out for about 6-8 weeks with a broken thumb and Avery Bradley opting out, having Morris in the lineup adds some depth. Let’s hope he makes it in time to get that rust off before games start back up on July 30th against the Clippers.
