Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris have had similarities in their NBA careers. They were selected with back-to-back picks in the 2011 NBA Draft (Markieff 13th, Marcus 14th). They became teammates with the Phoenix Suns and played two full seasons together (2013-14 and 2014-15). Oh yeah, they share the same birth date (September 2, 1989) as they are identical twins. Markieff is the older twin by seven minutes. Markieff is hopeful that his ‘younger’ brother will again become his teammate in the later portion of their careers. Both are free agents, but Markieff has stated that he will be back with the Dallas Mavericks. He wants the team to bring along Marcus for the ride.
NBA Brothers To Team Up Again As Mavericks?
Has Been Nearly A Decade Since Morris Brothers Were Teammates
While nothing has been announced, Markieff has stated that he will be back with Dallas. He stated as much on X, and he wants his brother Marcus by his side again.
I’m coming back. I want bro to come with me.
— Keef Morris (@Keefmorris) July 3, 2024
The last time that the Morris brothers played together as teammates was on April 12, 2015. As mentioned, they played two full seasons together but also were teammates for part of a third. Markieff started his career with the Suns, but Marcus began with the Houston Rockets. During his second season, he was traded to Phoenix for a second-round pick.
Unfortunately for the Morris brothers, their time together in Phoenix never saw them reach the postseason. The Suns finished a surprising 48-34 in 2013-14, but that was a game behind the Mavericks for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Marcus was traded to the Detroit Pistons in the 2015 offseason, ending the brothers’ partnership.
Nearing The End Of The Road
Both Morris brothers are now 13 seasons deep in their NBA careers. They will turn 35 years old in less than two months. They were both effective players for much of their careers. Both have seen their playing time dwindle of late though.
Marcus was able to play a larger role later in his career more so than Markieff. Marcus started all 65 of his appearances for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022-23 and averaged double figures in scoring every season from 2014-15 to 2022-23. His career-best scoring average of 16.7 came in 2019-20, a season he split between the New York Knicks and Clippers. Last season’s 16.7 minutes per game (with the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers) were his least since his rookie season.
Markieff’s last two seasons have seen him receive the least playing time of his career (10.1 minutes per game in 2022-23, 8.3 in 2023-24). The Mavericks reached the 2024 NBA Finals, but he only appeared in one postseason game during that run. Markieff averaged double figures in scoring every season from 2013-14 to 2017-18. His career-high in scoring came in 2014-15 with Phoenix when he averaged 15.3 points. He has a championship ring due to being a member of the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers. He was a key reserve in that postseason averaging 18.3 minutes per contest.
The Mavericks only have one roster spot available not counting Markieff. That means in order to sign both, a player would need to be released or traded to open up a spot for both brothers.
