Apr 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards forward Markieff Morris (5) rebounds the ball in front of Brooklyn Nets forward Chris McCullough (1) in the second quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Wizards’ Lack of Three Point Shooting Is Concerning by Ben Mehic

Washington Wizards forward Markieff Morris is due for a breakout season now that he’s entering the prime of his career

Players in the NBA obviously must have a certain level of talent to play in the league, but that’s often not the differentiating factor between them.

Many players that wash out of the NBA were considered top prospects at one point in their respective careers. Their circumstances, however, usually decide how successful a player goes on to become.

Washington has been home to many players that never realized their full potential; players that had all the talent in the world to become household names.

Because of the team’s losing culture and the dysfunction that was created as a result, those players were quickly forgotten about and their potential became wasted.

Now that the team is led by a head coach who’s known for player development and by players who’ve experienced success in the NBA Playoffs, Washington could be considered a second chance opportunity for players that need it to revitalize their careers.

We’ve seen it with Trevor Ariza, Martell Webster, Garrett Temple and Jared Dudley – all of whom went on to earn their biggest contracts following a stint in Washington.

The Wizards are no longer a team where players go to die, and it’s become quite the opposite.

The players mentioned didn’t have All-Star caliber seasons, and quite frankly, it’s because they didn’t have that sort of talent.

Last season, the Washington Wizards acquired a player who needed a change of scenery, but also had the talent to thrive in the nation’s capital.

Unlike the aforementioned players, Markieff Morris isn’t a project.

He’s not coming off an injury, the NBA Developmental League nor is he a veteran player entering the latter stage of his career.

Morris, 26, was a franchise cornerstone with the Phoenix Suns, but after their relationship soured, he became just another player with unfulfilled potential.

In his fifth season with the Suns, Morris had put up career lows in both field goal and 3-point percentage.

He felt unwanted by the Suns after they traded his twin brother, Marcus Morris, to the Detroit Pistons and publicly demanded a trade.

The Suns were reluctant to trade Morris – who, again, was considered a foundation piece – and that caused him to lash out in some pretty regrettable ways.

Morris had verbal altercations with coach Jeff Hornacek on the court, got into a shoving match with a teammate and just flat out looked like he wanted out.

Washington took a chance on Morris following an extensive vetting process. After shooting less than 40 percent with the Suns last season, his field goal percentage rose to nearly 47 percent in D.C.

Along side John Wall, Morris was utilized as a pick-and-pop forward and complemented Marcin Gortat, who rolled to the basket and played inside the paint.

The Wizards, who lacked grit and a defensive presence, needed Morris just as much as the maligned forward needed them. Morris gave the team exactly what they were looking for: an offensive jolt and toughness they didn’t have prior to him arriving.

Morris is someone who just flat out knows how to play the game, and you don’t have to be an expert to notice it. There aren’t many players with his size that can score with their backs to the basket, in isolation situations and in transition.

Morris, for all of his offensive abilities, is even more unique because he’s willing to defend.

The term “stretch four” is often given to forwards that can space the floor and knock down shots from deep, but if that forward can’t stop their man from scoring, the offensive production is somewhat useless.

Morris can score, defend and rebound, which are all traits that a modern forward needs to have.

With Brooks at the helm, Morris will finally be coached by someone who knows how to get through to his players. His minutes won’t fluctuate and his role will be defined.

Per-36 minutes, Morris averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds per game this past season in Washington. Those totals, along with an improved record, could put Morris among the most productive forwards in the Eastern Conference.

Morris is entering the prime of his career in a stable situation. The Washington Wizards have a hungry, driven player locked up long-term on a ridiculously cheap contract. The stars have aligned for a breakout season.