Suns rookie Morris prefers a bench role
Feb 2, 2012, 7:57 PM | Updated: 7:57 pm
Make no mistake. Markieff Morris wants to be a starter in
the NBA. Just not right now.
The Suns rookie is back in his familiar spot, a more
comfortable spot: coming off the bench.
“It’s the best role for Markieff right now,” said head
coach Alvin Gentry, who added it was Morris who approached
him about re-joining the second unit.
“When I was starting I was taking a backseat,” Morris
explained. “For me I was kind of deferring to [Marcin]
Gortat and Steve [Nash] and Grant [Hill]. I felt like I
was just out on the court. I felt like I wasn’t doing
anything.”
Morris scored a total of 17 points (shooting 28.6 percent)
during his five-game run as a starter. He’s scored 22
points in the three games since returning to a reserve
role.
“I just told Alvin I think it would be better if I come
off the bench and bring that spark off the bench.”
Morris, who wasn’t a starter initially at Kansas, is
averaging 8.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 16 games with the
second unit. All seven of his double-digit scoring efforts
have come as a bench player.
“I know my role,” he said. “I have to be aggressive
because I’m one of the go-to guys off the bench.”
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