On paper, the drop-off between Anthony Davis and Markieff Morris is probably bigger than the gap between any other starter in the NBA and his replacement. Joel Embiid and Mike Scott also come to mind, but it’s safe to say that the Lakers were built to start a max player at power forward, not one on a minimum contract.
And with the way Morris played to start the season, to the point that Frank Vogel excised him from the rotation for a little while over a week back in January, it was fair to wonder what the 10th-year forward would be able to contribute in Davis’ absence.