Chad Ford has the Philadelphia 76ers taking Philly native Markieff Morris with the 16th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Ford recently attended a workout with he and his brother Marcus and came away very impressed.
For starters, I was floored by their ability to shoot the NBA 3. Typically, that’s a major adjustment for draft prospects and, at this early stage, even good shooters are throwing up bricks as they adjust to the difference. But both Morris twins are stroking the ball effortlessly from the big boys’ line. A combination of strength and picture-perfect shooting form gives them a great advantage in making the transition.
For a 6-10 power forward, an outside game can make for a pretty nasty package. Addi in Markieff’s size and toughness and he might be a perfect fit what the Sixers are looking for. Ford says that his brother Marcus is the more athletic of the two and could do well in the NBA as a 3/4 swingman, but Markieff is the superior defender, rebounder and all around post player. He’s also about an inch taller than his brother.
The question is whether he might be there for the Sixers at #16. Ford projects him to come off that board anywhere from #7 to #17.