Mike's Marcus Morris New Year's Resolution 🧐

The Opening Tip

Hello & Happy NEW YEAR- It's the Corner Three!

FLY THE PROCESS: COME WITH US TO LOS ANGELES

Oh Yeah, The Sixers

New Year New Questions!

1. Now that the OG trade has come and gone what's your best guess for what Morey and co. do at the deadline?

I think they Daryl will take a swing, mostly because he's been saying as much and to be honest, I tend to think he oddly enough believes more in this team than last year's version. What that could look like is still a mystery but wouldn't shock me if they made a hard push for Derozan & Caruso, Mikal Bridges or some other surprise.

2. Any one or two overall concerns above all?

Tyrese Maxey has logged an unGodly amount of minutes, which is on course for a Nick Nurse guard and the reason I'd love to see them make backup/secondary ballhandler a priority closer to the deadline as well.

3. Any worry about Joel's ankle?

Not especially, they've fared fine without him and got through a 4 game road stretch so if he needs more recovery give it to him. I'd much rather have him miss some time in December/January than late April/early May.

4. How does 2024 workout for the team?

They will make the ECF. I need to see what happens at the deadline before I decide if they can beat a Boston/Mil but I'm ready to say this is the year they beat the 2nd round yips. 

5. How does the Eagles season end?

A fucking fiery death under the Tampa Bay night sky. Please, no more questions.

Content Dump

* Dan Olinger - This is why coaching matters, and why Nick Nurse is an upgrade.
* AU - This is why we CAN NOT trade for Zach Lavine.
* Video - Here is 35 seconds of Nic Batum tipping out offensive rebounds to his teammates.

Mike's Corner... Mike's New Year's Resolution

Every week, Spike or Mike is going to write a column for the #CornerThree. It's Mike's week, and he's talking about Marcus Morris.  

My New Year's Resolution is to stop eating once I'm full, not just house whatever's left on my plate out of some misplaced obligation to the portion size gods. My other resolution is to remain steadfast in thinking Marcus Morris should not be in the rotation.

I get it. He's a North Philly guy, he's seemingly very well-liked in the locker room, he's smiling more than I've ever seen in his 13 years in the league, and he is firmly on the Early Mike Scott/James Ennis side of the Sixers vet spectrum rather than the Glenn Robinson III/George Hill side. Hitting 142% of his shots in the first few weeks in the rotation will endear yourself to a hometown crowd, as will hitting a clutch three off a Pat Bev rebound to ice a win. 

Due to his position and skillset, he's also not Montrezl. Whereas Trez couldn't play any other position but center - Morris is positionally more versatile as a wing, excusing the confusing moments when Nick Nurse tries him at the 5. Trez also couldn't shoot, so he was limited to hardish rolls to the rim where his depleted athleticism would pathetically fail him. Morris has been one of their most dependable outside shooters, and that alone makes him more worthy of NBA minutes than Trez last season.

But I will not be moved! Because I watch the games. #IWatchTheGames. There's a reason he was out of the Clippers rotation to start the year - and it's that he can't defend for shit. He's tall enough to occasionally make up for it, but this is maybe the least mobile wing in the league. His hips look like they were screwed on with a socket wrench. He ballwatches too much (as does nearly everyone), he's slower than Tobias rotating, he gets overly handsy on drives and sends people to the line instead of forcing a contested midrange jumper. He's not a rim protector. He's not reading passing lanes. He's not filling a lane in transition. He's a decent boxout, but he's not elevating over anybody for a big rebound. In the playoffs, we are going to watch a parade of primary options wave for Morris's guy to set a screen to get the switch. Haliburton cooking Morris. Dame cooking Morris. Brunson cooking Morris. Cole Anthony hitting him with a Too Small. Every single Boston Celtic this side of Antoine Walker cooking Morris. It will be a putrid sight, and my priors will be confirmed.

Yes I trust him over anyone but Maxey to hit a wide open three. But as the shooting falls back to something resembling Earth, I cannot stay silent on the midrange isos they're drawing up for him. It's one thing if he's Danny Green catching & shooting from the wing. It's another if we're treating his 2015 Carmelo impression like some viable strategy going forward. He can hit some spinning jumpers in the regular season, but defenses will tighten up in the playoffs, and his shit will stink. I've looked into the Mirror of Galadriel - it's the Scouring of the Shire, and it's Marcus Morris feeling empowered enough to take a contested 18 footer over Caleb Martin 4 seconds into the possession down 11 in the 3rd and me Ralph Wigguming myself into my neighbor's Camry.

If Tobias gets dealt, I'm way more forgiving of Nurse using a fluid rotation spot on Morris. They're just too similar with too many liabilities to both get minutes, especially together. And frustrating as he may be, Tobias is the better on-ball defender, passer, transition operator, and generally dynamic athlete, frustrating as he may be. Had to put that clause at the beginning and end of that sentence to be sure it landed.

(Also it's important to remember - as a former Celtic, Mook will always be a suspect for Al Horford/DeMarco Murray Mole Allegations. We must never let down our guard.)

So thank you for the shooting, and the unassailable good vibes he's been part of. But we're in January now, and we've seen too many springtime failures to be naive of what's gonna happen when shit gets serious. It's time to play Maxey with 7/8 rock solid defenders and leave the cute stories to a Korkmaz romcom. Whether that's Cov taking his spot, or just shortening the rotation in April, or a Caruso type trade, it has to happen.They're too close to wait too long to make this adjustment, whether Nurse realizes it or Daryl realizes it for him. A month and change until the deadline. 

Peace, Love and New Year

Be Good, Call your parents               

                                                          -Zo