The biggest story surrounding the Phoenix Suns for much of the year has been Markieff Morris and whether or not he will be traded. Morris has been unhappy ever since the Suns traded away his twin brother Marcus this offseason and even went to the point of demanding a trade, yet he is still playing for Phoenix. With the trade deadline approaching Morris is one of the names mentioned the most in rumors, but the Suns won't force a trade just to get rid of him, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
Morris has been linked in trade rumors to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Houston Rockets and the New Orleans Pelicans, but it is being reported that none of those three teams are actively considering a trade for him right now. There is a sense that as the deadline nears Morris' stock will go up due to the lack of other players available and the fact that Morris' salary is very manageable moving forward.
There are conflicting ideas on the Suns' willingness to move Morris, though, as some people think that they will give in at some point and make almost any deal just to get him out of their hair. Others believe that the Suns won't trade Morris unless they feel as though they are getting something worthwhile for the future. The Suns reportedly don't see Morris as too big of a headache, considering what they have already dealt with this year, and they aren't willing to make a bad deal just to get him off the roster.
The interesting thing to look at in regards to Morris is his trade value. Earlier in the season Morris' value seemingly hit rock bottom as he was out of the Suns' rotation and was also reportedly a problem in the locker room. Since then, though, Morris has moved back into the starting lineup and may have restored some of the value people had previously seen in him.
Morris' production this year has been extremely inconsistent and as a result his numbers are ugly. The 26-year-old forward is averaging 10.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, but he is only shooting 38 percent from the field and 30 percent from three. Those numbers, along with all of his baggage, will likely scare teams away, but there are positives to acquiring him.
Morris has proven in the past that he can be a very productive NBA player who had improved in each of his seasons until this year. Morris is also a stretch four which is one of the more coveted positions in the NBA, and he is under control for the next three seasons at a very reasonable price ($8 million a year). If a team were to take a gamble on trading for Morris they likely wouldn't have to give up too much, and the risk might be worth the possible reward. Having said that, Phoenix has to like the deal because the Suns are unlikely to just unload a guy they see as a very good player.
