Just a few weeks ago, Markieff Morris told a Philadelphia reporter that he is no longer interested in playing for the Phoenix Suns. Triggered by the Suns dealing his twin brother and former teammate Marcus Morris to the Detroit Pistons, Markieff claims he will not play another game for the team.
The Trade Demand
"One thing's for sure, I am not going to be there," Morris told the Philadelphia Inquirer reporter. "If you want to put that out there, you can put that out. I don't give a [expletive]. I am not going to be there at all. That's just what it is."
Yikes. After remaining silent for about a month after Phoenix traded his brother, it seemed as if Markieff could not hold it in much longer. The twins felt disrespected by the Suns organization for not being informed about the trade before it happened, which is regular operation in today's NBA. They were also hurt because they signed four-year contract extensions with the Suns last summer to remain teammates.
The problem is that Morris is under contract for the long-term with the Suns, so he has close to no leverage demanding a trade in this situation. Apparently, he has his own ways to ensure he will get traded.
According to Arizona Sports radio host John Gambadoro, Morris will "show the Suns a different side of him." He also tweeted that Markieff has not picked up a phone call from any Suns player or front-office member. Gambadoro claims his plan is to be the "worst teammate possible."
Earlier this week, the Phoenix Suns held voluntary practice in which 10 team members showed up. Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Alex Len, Devin Booker, TJ Warren, among others, showed up. To no surprise, Markieff Morris was not present.
He added later: "It's just when you get to a point in your life, you just need to move on. That's what I need to do for my career, my family, myself."
In that case, the Suns must be dying to get rid of him, right? Wrong. And here is why:
Scoring
If you take attitude out of the equation, Morris is an extremely talented basketball player. At just 25 years old, he averaged over 15 points and six rebounds per game while shooting almost 47% from the field as a third offensive option. Those numbers coming from a third scoring option are hard to come by. He started each and every game for the Suns last season and scored in double-figures 65 out of 82 games.
With Mirza Teletovic and Jon Leuer manning the backup PF spots, without Morris, the Suns have no post scoring. Heck, even Tyson Chandler can't give you what Morris can in terms of post-scoring. He is the Suns' only option to score in the low post. Not to mention, he was the Suns leader in clutch FG% and scored their second most points in clutch time behind only Eric Bledsoe. Markieff Morris is not a star by any means, but he is borderline elite at his position, and he would be in all-star discussion had he been playing in the East.
The Phoenix Suns suffered immensely on offense post-trade deadline and can not afford to lose Morris' scoring.
Trade Value at All-Time Low
Would Phoenix lose Morris for nothing? Of course not. So why can't they replace his scoring output with the player they trade him for? Because Markieff's trade value is at an all-time low. The Suns would not even sniff close to fair exchange in a Markieff deal at this exact time. Even as a rookie, you could make the case that Morris had more trade value then he does now.
Coming out and demanding a trade like he did, rather than have your agent do it behind the scenes, is a killer for the team. For example, he ruined the Suns chances in selling high on him. It showed a lack of professionalism on his part, and the whole reason he imploded on this franchise lowers his value even further. Why would a team want to trade anything of significant value for a player who has yet to show he can keep calm and just play the sport of basketball without his twin brother?
To add drama to the situation, Markieff and Marcus Morris are currently on trial for allegedly assaulting a man who sent inappropriate text messages to their mother. They could be facing jail time, which is doubtful, but still a chance, and the legal system will not have an answer until mid-way through the NBA season.
Rather than Phoenix getting a nice return for a young, talented player on an extremely friendly contract, they would be selling low on a hot-head, unprofessional who could be facing time behind bars. Anything the Suns get back in return for Markieff Morris would not even be a fraction of what he is worth to the team.
Playoff Drought in the Desert
The Phoenix Suns have missed the playoffs five years in a row, the longest drought in franchise history. Re-signing Brandon Knight and adding highly-respected center Tyson Chandler this summer proved the Suns are committed to one thing, and that is to put this team back in the playoff picture.
They have a great backcourt, a defensive-minded center and veteran leader, a solid bench, and lots of young talent. They also have a proven starter at power forward who plays his role exceptionally well and goes by the name of Markieff Morris. If he were to be dealt, Mirza Teletovic would be Phoenix's starting 4.
Uh-oh. No disrespect to Mirza, who is a great role player and a perfect fit for Phoenix's system, but he is no starting power forward in the Western Conference.
Dealing Markieff Morris for what would be change in return would create a huge bump for Phoenix's playoff chances this season. They would lose, arguably their second/third best player, one of their better scorers and most importantly a capable starter at a position they are thin at. Phoenix needs to bring excitement back to the Valley of the Sun and the last thing they need is another lottery season.
Conclusion
The Phoenix Suns must keep Markieff Morris, not only keep him but ensure he is happy. They do not need a team cancer, a player who is only here because he is forced to be. Instead, they need to show Markieff this is where he belongs. The organization who drafted him, signed him to a long-term extension, and given him the keys as starting power forward. Dealing his twin brother must have hurt him, but it is time to grow up. Time to show he is a professional basketball player and will do whatever it takes to win.
When asked if he will report to training camp, he said, "I've got to show up. No question. You can't do that. I will be a professional. Don't get me wrong. But it won't get that far. I'm going to be out before then."
That is when the Suns will need to make an impression. Get him to training camp and prove to him that is where he wants to be. He has friends on the team, and they must get to him. Eric Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin, and PJ Tucker are all close friends, they need to correct his mind. Tyson Chandler needs to work his veteran magic and show Markieff why they complement each other perfectly in the front-court.
If the Phoenix Suns want to become a playoff team once again, they must hang on to Markieff. He has a great contract at just $8 million per year over the next four years, he is an exceptional scorer for his role, and just fits Phoenix's system to perfection. Not to mention the ultra-durable forward has only missed four games in his entire four-year career, which is nothing short of incredible.
It would be easy for the Suns to be calling every team around the league trying to dump Markieff, especially after his comments last month, but the smart thing would be to patch up this shaky relationship. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, but if the Suns want to be headed in the right direction, they must bring a motivated Markieff Morris to the court in 2015.