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Markieff Morris says Miami Heat did not want him back on the court, says he proved them wrong

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 10:10 AM ET

Markieff Morris believes the Miami Heat dismissed his ability to contribute at a high level during his time there.

The life of an NBA player can be very difficult sometimes. No matter how strong a player’s ties to their franchise are, they are employees at the end of the day, and can face harsh business decisions that impact them.

Luka Doncic learned this lesson the hard way this past February. Out of nowhere, the Mavericks traded Doncic to the LA Lakers less than a year after he took them to the NBA Finals.

While Doncic’s exit was based on team building, other players often lose their spot due to injuries. The Milwaukee Bucks shockingly waived Damian Lillard after he tore his Achilles tendon in the playoffs.

A similar situation occurred in Markieff Morris’ career when he was playing for the Miami Heat and sustained a serious injury.

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Markieff Morris says Miami Heat wouldn’t let him play after his injury

Markieff Morris was a guest recently on the OGs podcast. When speaking to former teammate Udonis Haslem about his time on the Miami Heat, Morris shared a strange story.

The former NBA champion suffered an injury that he recovered from in two weeks. However, the Miami Heat medical staff diagnosed it to be far more serious, and he didn’t get to play for them after that.

“I never really got the opportunity to play again [in Miami]. There was a misconception of how the injury really went. It was like a two-week injury; I was cleared in two weeks.

“But Miami wouldn’t allow me back on the court [so] I was injured for six months. I was back, it was whiplash, it was whiplash on the court, I was practising on the regular. I practiced for six months.

“Miami didn’t want to let me back on the court. They wrote me off, ‘we’re not letting you back on the court with that injury.’ Obviously, I played four years after that, and I’m still playing now.”