“I missed him” - LeBron James makes feelings crystal clear on Lakers’ $3,355,268 veteran 

LeBron James and the LA Lakers reunited with a familiar face when the team shook the entire NBA after making the biggest trade in league history by acquiring Luka Doncic. The Lakers took on Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris' contracts, with Anthony Davis and Max Christie going the other way,

Morris, who is on a $3,355,268 veteran minimum contract, wasn't just a salary filler. While he's no longer a key contributor on the court, the 2020 NBA champion brought a wealth of experience and someone who could take up the role of a veteran's veteran.

James, who shared the frontcourt with Morris during the Orlando Bubble title run, also views the 35-year-old's presence in LA's locker room in that capacity. Here's what the Lakers superstar told LA Times' Dan Woike via a report released Monday:

"I missed him," LeBron James told The Times. "…We’ve been in the foxhole together. We’ve been on the floor during big games together. And there’s someone whose opinion I value very much when I come off the floor. He’s watching it. He’s seeing it. I’m just happy to have him back. It’s great to see him."

Most contending teams have a player of Morris's stature in the locker room. It's one of the keys to success, as such players help lead the team's superstars. Morris played that role on the Mavericks en route to their finals run last year.

Jared Dudley was in that role when Morris was a role player on the Lakers' 2020 championship team. Despite being six years younger than James, the veteran forward has the Lakers captain's trust. It's critical to James's success and the team's in the grand scheme of things.

Markieff Morris reveals hilarious reaction after learning about shocking trade to LeBron James' Lakers

The Luka Doncic trade to the LA Lakers trade was kept under wraps. Even Doncic and Anthony Davis, the major moving pieces in the deal, had no idea about this transaction being in the works. Naturally, Markieff Morris was also out of the loop, even until the last minute.

When Morris first heard about his reunion with LeBron James and Co., the veteran forward had a hilarious reaction. Here's what he said on his podcast on Feb. 8:

"Who the hell want me? Who wants to trade for me?"

Markieff Morris knew he had entered a new phase of his career since 2022-23 as a locker room leader on contending teams after falling out of the rotation in his first and only stint with the Miami Heat because of a neck injury, which limited him to 17 games. He's been in this role in Brooklyn and Dallas since, and now, in LA, where he won his only championship in 2020 with LeBron James.