On the top right of Markieff Morris’ locker is a triangular sticker with the letters “F.O.E” inside. The acronym is for “Family over everything,” a saying that hooks into the pulse of what Morris believes.
He won’t menace his twin, Detroit Pistons forward Marcus, when on the floor, making him the lone opponent Markieff is tolerant of during a game. Even when Marcus puts his hand on Markieff’s shoulder in order to jump over him for a game-winning tip-in, they laugh it off.
“That’s my brother,” Markieff said.
He will hold hands with his mother, Thomasine “Angel” Morris when he walks down a Verizon Center hall. His 87-year-old grandfather can make it to games from Philadelphia now that he is in Washington. Being traded to the Wizards just more than a year ago has led to the best basketball of his career, increased family life, and, step by step, a reboot of his public image.
“I kind of grew up here,” Morris said. “I was in between here and Philly a lot. My mom is from here, my grandmother is from here. Eighty percent of my family lives out here. It was just one of those things like, damn, I’m coming back home. Then when we played them early, right before I was traded early in the year, I kind of got the feeling that I would love playing here. Just from the people around the building, the whole atmosphere.”
Acquiring Morris has quickly turned into one of general manager Ernie Grunfeld’s shrewdest moves. Grunfeld sent two expiring contracts — DeJuan Blair and Kris Humphries — plus last season’s first-round pick to Phoenix for Morris and his cost-friendly contract. At the time, there was little assurance the trade would have a hand-in-glove fit. Morris was still furious with the Suns for trading his brother then turning a capable roster into one that lost all the time. His frustrations were clear on the floor and during timeouts. The day he was traded, Morris rolled out of the Talking Stick Resort Arena on a hoverboard, happy to leave Phoenix behind.
“Past,” Morris said. “For a while, it was hard for me to let it go. But, I’m in a better place now and moved on.”
In Washington, he had two players claiming this disgruntled man on the television would not be the person arriving in the District. Jared Dudley and Marcin Gortat had played with Morris in Phoenix. They, to use Gortat’s parlance, thought he was, “a good kid.” They didn’t just say it in public, which is the easy and automatic thing to do, but also said it on the side. Gortat knew Morris when the latter was a rookie who didn’t stay long after practice until he was told by veterans he needed to stick around. His habits improved, his game improved and he eventually took less money to stay in Phoenix with his twin.
September 29, 2014, Markieff and Marcus signed contract extensions with Phoenix. Marcus was traded to Detroit the following summer. Markieff’s relationship with the Suns quickly reached an untenable position thereafter.
Which is why Gortat, in particular, was so adamant Morris would fit in with the Wizards.
“I’ve seen this guy, the way he carries himself, who he is, how he pictures life, what he values in his life, I’ve seen that,” Gortat said. “He values family, brotherhood, friendship, that’s what he values.”
Gortat had an issue of his own earlier this season when he publicly called the Wizards’ bench players the worst in the league. It irritated his teammates and he laments his lack of filter now. Washington coach Scott Brooks forced Gortat to stand in front of the team and explain himself. He felt “on an island” until Morris came to him to see if he wanted to go lift weights.
“It’s about grabbing the guy and helping him out,” Gortat said of when things go bad for a teammate. “Let’s get some 1-on-1 maybe, let’s get some shots tomorrow. Let’s go sit down watch a movie, let’s sit down and watch film, what you’re doing wrong, what you’re doing bad. Maybe it’s time to grab that guy and go to the club and have a drink with him because he’s struggling. Maybe he has to clear his head. That’s what the brotherhood is.”
Morris was less concerned with how he would be received in the locker room than he was about how the coaching staff and others viewed him after the trade. He knew Dudley and Gortat sided with him. He had moderate relationships with John Wall — who said he knew they were acquiring someone with some “dog” in him — and Bradley Beal. But, his connections to the both coaching staffs were minimal and word gets around in the NBA. He and his brother were charged with aggravated assault in 2015. The case is ongoing. Plus, there were recent visuals of Morris arguing with and shoving teammate Archie Goodwin during a timeout just eight days before the trade, an exchange the two later compared to brothers having a spat.
“You can fall into that type of stuff reading them headlines,” Morris said. “Like I said, I played with Gortat and Jared at the time. I know for sure that those guys would speak highly of me and I speak highly of those guys. In Phoenix for two years, they didn’t know who I really was. Media tends to make you a person that you’re not. That’s their job. I don’t care. That’s how it go.”
The superb environmental fit has been matched by the intertwining of his basketball skills. Washington needed a larger, more athletic forward who could defend some of the steel in the Eastern Conference, like Atlanta’s Paul Millsap. A forward who could also score on his own would be a plus. Playing with Wall, Beal and Otto Porter has made Morris one of the league’s more lethal fourth options. He becomes a first option when mixed in with the second unit.
During Washington’s recent push to third place in the Eastern Conference, Morris has put together a crisp month. He shot 48.8 percent from the field in January. His 3-point percentage was 41.4 percent, almost doubling his percentage from the month before. His early February numbers are running with the same efficiency. Morris is averaging career highs in 3-point percentage and rebounds. His effective field goal percentage is just a tick off a career high.
Brooks has encouraged Morris to focus on 3-pointers in order to grow with the league. Morris’ midrange game has always been his offensive strength. However, the league is moving away from that spot and, at 6 foot 10, Morris will need to venture to the 3-point line to create space when he’s not working post-ups during his time as the second unit’s top option.
He’s fine with that idea and even tolerates a finger in his face in his new home. Just a few nights before the all-star break, Brooks demonstrably explained the situation in a timeout huddle. His hand flew right in front of Morris’ face, causing him to retract and furrow his brow.
“Coach, you know you put your finger all in my face,” Morris said.
“We’re family now,” Brooks said. “That’s something we can do.”
Morris laughed. The thought made him happy, something everyone involved has been since he arrived in Washington.
• Todd Dybas can be reached at tdybas@washingtontimes.com.
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