The safe assumption regarding the Morris twins from Kansas when it comes to the upcoming 2011 NBA Draft is that this will be the first time that Marcus and Markieff have ever played organized basketball on separate teams. Yet in the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Chad Ford, he has the Charlotte Bobcats in a prime position to actually take both brothers, thus keeping them reunited even into their pro careers.
That would be a dream come true for the Morris brothers, given that they’ve gone on record saying that it would be hard to play without the other. Charlotte has a unique draft position at No. 9 and No. 19 overall in the first round to be able to choose two solid picks, and the way that many draft prognosticators are seeing things, the draft stock of the both Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris might allow a team to swipe up both players.
Would that be a good move for Charlotte? The answer is absolutely. While the team already has some promising frontcourt talent, especially in Tyrus Thomas and D.J. White, both players also haven’t broken through to giving the team a solid 35 minutes a game with impact on both sides. The Morris twins both have well-rounded games that would give Charlotte an immediate two players ready for impact at the pro level and would remain solid rotational guys no matter who they bring in.
Markieff could easily start underneath since Kwame Brown sits atop the depth chart in the middle. He’s not a true NBA center by any means, but those are so few and far between anyway that Markieff would at least serve as an upgrade there. He could then switch to the 4 when Thomas came off of the floor. Meanwhile, Marcus would provide a great offensive presence at the forward positions and allow Stephen Jackson to move to shooting guard, or play together to provide multiple scoring options that opponents would have a difficult time defending.
The team has a solid young point in D.J. Augustin, and while there are more holes in the backcourt than the front, being able to choose such well-rounded experienced players — who also know how to play well together — at those draft slots would serve a team that needs predictable players well.