Markieff Morris Wants Out

[RJ87]

Not worried about the personality stuff.  It's whatever.  Sounds to me like the Suns made some half-promises to him that they didn't keep.

It stands to reason if they acted like adults, the trade wouldn't have happened. The Suns SB site had a pretty good write up on it a few months ago (pre-trade): http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/5/9/8572661/phoenix-suns-morris-markieff-marcus-aggravated-assault-foolishness

There's a clear pattern of disrespect and dysfunction. Quite frankly, he's nowhere near the headache. We're not talking about an All-Star or on the cusp player, we're talking about 15 points and 6 rebounds per game.

[hpantazo]

I used to have a lot of respect for the Suns front office, but I have to wonder now if they know what they are doing. They had gone hard after Dragic , signed him, then went out and got Isaiah Thomas and Bledsoe. Then they used their first round pick on another PG in Tyler Ennis. They then acquire both Morris twins to keep them happy, acquire Zoran Dragic to keep Goran happy, then they ditch almost all of their guards at the trade deadline, including he cost controlled young prospect. Their front office, when asked how it felt to trade their best player, answered that they still have Morris. Now they trade Morris' twin and tick him off , and want to move him too. What's the long term goal here?

[ahonui06]

I used to have a lot of respect for the Suns front office, but I have to wonder now if they know what they are doing. They had gone hard after Dragic , signed him, then went out and got Isaiah Thomas and Bledsoe. Then they used their first round pick on another PG in Tyler Ennis. They then acquire both Morris twins to keep them happy, acquire Zoran Dragic to keep Goran happy, then they ditch almost all of their guards at the trade deadline, including he cost controlled young prospect. Their front office, when asked how it felt to trade their best player, answered that they still have Morris. Now they trade Morris' twin and tick him off , and want to move him too. What's the long term goal here?

I believe McDonough and the Suns' front office are pivoting because they understood the roster they had last season couldn't compete in the West as a legitimate contender. They would be fighting for a 7/8 seed.

However, unloading Dragic and IT4 gave them cap flexibility and additional draft picks, but most importantly will allow them to develop the young players they view as their core: Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe and this season TJ Warren and maybe Archie Goodwin.

[PhoSita]

We're not talking about an All-Star or on the cusp player, we're talking about 15 points and 6 rebounds per game.

We're also talking about a talent upgrade and a 25 year old player.  If Stevens is half the coach he's been made out to be, he ought to be able to handle one maybe-headcase.

The suggestion isn't that the Celtics leverage a bunch of assets to get the guy.  Rather, trade one player the team doesn't need -- Turner -- and another with weight issues at least as serious as the personality problems that Markieff has.

[PhoSita]

Turner and Sullinger for Markieff.  I'd do it happily.


Not worried about the personality stuff.  It's whatever.  Sounds to me like the Suns made some half-promises to him that they didn't keep.


Markieff's a quality player and I think Stevens could get plenty of value out of him.  He's a better version of Jerebko.

Really?  If you compare their per 36 minute stats from last year, Sully averaged 17.7 points and 10.1 rebounds versus 17.5 and 7.1 for Markieff.  Sully is clearly the better rebounder, and their shooting range stats are practically identical.  Plus Sully is three years younger and has more upside.  I would take Jared Sullinger and his weight issues over Markieff Morris and his mental issues any day of the week.

Sully's defense and weight issues concern me a lot more than whatever Markieff's personality issues supposedly are.

Markieff's been an everyday starting power forward for a quality team in the Western Conference.  His positional versatility makes him a better fit for what the Celts are trying to do, anyway.

[hpantazo]

I used to have a lot of respect for the Suns front office, but I have to wonder now if they know what they are doing. They had gone hard after Dragic , signed him, then went out and got Isaiah Thomas and Bledsoe. Then they used their first round pick on another PG in Tyler Ennis. They then acquire both Morris twins to keep them happy, acquire Zoran Dragic to keep Goran happy, then they ditch almost all of their guards at the trade deadline, including he cost controlled young prospect. Their front office, when asked how it felt to trade their best player, answered that they still have Morris. Now they trade Morris' twin and tick him off , and want to move him too. What's the long term goal here?

I believe McDonough and the Suns' front office are pivoting because they understood the roster they had last season couldn't compete in the West as a legitimate contender. They would be fighting for a 7/8 seed.

However, unloading Dragic and IT4 gave them cap flexibility and additional draft picks, but most importantly will allow them to develop the young players they view as their core: Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe and this season TJ Warren and maybe Archie Goodwin.

I guess, but they never even gave that roster a chance to develop. It's not like the players they traded away were old, most were still developing. They also have Alex Len at center who was just getting acustomed to the NBA after missing his rookie season. If they don't consider him part of their core either, we should go hard after him in a trade.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Turner and Sullinger for Markieff.  I'd do it happily.


Not worried about the personality stuff.  It's whatever.  Sounds to me like the Suns made some half-promises to him that they didn't keep.


Markieff's a quality player and I think Stevens could get plenty of value out of him.  He's a better version of Jerebko.

Really?  If you compare their per 36 minute stats from last year, Sully averaged 17.7 points and 10.1 rebounds versus 17.5 and 7.1 for Markieff.  Sully is clearly the better rebounder, and their shooting range stats are practically identical.  Plus Sully is three years younger and has more upside.  I would take Jared Sullinger and his weight issues over Markieff Morris and his mental issues any day of the week.

Sully's defense and weight issues concern me a lot more than whatever Markieff's personality issues supposedly are.

Markieff's been an everyday starting power forward for a quality team in the Western Conference.  His positional versatility makes him a better fit for what the Celts are trying to do, anyway.

A lot stock is being put into what Markieff accomplished in his 3rd-4th year in the league, when he was 24-25 years old respectively, and Sullinger isn't even 24 yet (won't be until March of next year).

Just to put a bit of perspective on that regard.

And even now it's debatable if Morris is better than Sullinger.

[ahonui06]

I used to have a lot of respect for the Suns front office, but I have to wonder now if they know what they are doing. They had gone hard after Dragic , signed him, then went out and got Isaiah Thomas and Bledsoe. Then they used their first round pick on another PG in Tyler Ennis. They then acquire both Morris twins to keep them happy, acquire Zoran Dragic to keep Goran happy, then they ditch almost all of their guards at the trade deadline, including he cost controlled young prospect. Their front office, when asked how it felt to trade their best player, answered that they still have Morris. Now they trade Morris' twin and tick him off , and want to move him too. What's the long term goal here?

I believe McDonough and the Suns' front office are pivoting because they understood the roster they had last season couldn't compete in the West as a legitimate contender. They would be fighting for a 7/8 seed.

However, unloading Dragic and IT4 gave them cap flexibility and additional draft picks, but most importantly will allow them to develop the young players they view as their core: Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe and this season TJ Warren and maybe Archie Goodwin.

I guess, but they never even gave that roster a chance to develop. It's not like the players they traded away were old, most were still developing. They also have Alex Len at center who was just getting acustomed to the NBA after missing his rookie season. If they don't consider him part of their core either, we should go hard after him in a trade.

I would love Alex Len in green, but I believe the Suns front office views him as a critical piece to their future. They signed Tyson Chandler to mentor him for the next few seasons until he is ready to be the defensive centerpiece and rim protector.

[Rondo9]

Turner and Sullinger for Markieff.  I'd do it happily.


Not worried about the personality stuff.  It's whatever.  Sounds to me like the Suns made some half-promises to him that they didn't keep.


Markieff's a quality player and I think Stevens could get plenty of value out of him.  He's a better version of Jerebko.

Really?  If you compare their per 36 minute stats from last year, Sully averaged 17.7 points and 10.1 rebounds versus 17.5 and 7.1 for Markieff.  Sully is clearly the better rebounder, and their shooting range stats are practically identical.  Plus Sully is three years younger and has more upside.  I would take Jared Sullinger and his weight issues over Markieff Morris and his mental issues any day of the week.

Sully's defense and weight issues concern me a lot more than whatever Markieff's personality issues supposedly are.

Markieff's been an everyday starting power forward for a quality team in the Western Conference.  His positional versatility makes him a better fit for what the Celts are trying to do, anyway.

Morris isn't even that good of a defender. Suns fans have been complaining on how he gets pushed around on defense.

[PhoSita]

Morris isn't even that good of a defender. Suns fans have been complaining on how he gets pushed around on defense.

I'm sure he's not a great defender, but if he's adequate enough on that end -- and fit enough -- to actually play 30+ minutes a night for a quality team, that gives him a leg up on Sully.  Also, being pushed around is less of a problem in the East.  I'm more concerned about his quickness and agility in defending the pick and roll.


Markieff has also played at least 81 games each of the last three seasons.

That's the biggest thing.  I think Markieff is a better player than Sully, but more than that, I think he's more likely to actually be able to play significant minutes over the course of an entire season.  That makes him significantly more valuable.

[Rondo9]

Morris isn't even that good of a defender. Suns fans have been complaining on how he gets pushed around on defense.

I'm sure he's not a great defender, but if he's adequate enough on that end -- and fit enough -- to actually play 30+ minutes a night for a quality team, that gives him a leg up on Sully.  Also, being pushed around is less of a problem in the East.  I'm more concerned about his quickness and agility in defending the pick and roll.


Markieff has also played at least 81 games each of the last three seasons.

That's the biggest thing.  I think Markieff is a better player than Sully, but more than that, I think he's more likely to actually be able to play significant minutes over the course of an entire season.  That makes him significantly more valuable.

The only thing Morris has over Sullinger is health. I don't even think he's that good at containing pick and roll and Sullinger has been productive when he plays over 30 minutes.

[PhoSita]

The only thing Morris has over Sullinger is health. I don't even think he's that good at containing pick and roll and Sullinger has been productive when he plays over 30 minutes.

Sully has been pretty productive when he plays over 30 minutes.  But how frequently can he actually do that?  How often will he be healthy enough to actually play?  Is he going to eat his way out of the league?

These are very real, serious questions for Sullinger.

Again, I also think that Markieff's ability to switch onto wings as well as centers makes him a better fit for Stevens' offense.  Plus, Markieff has shown more as a perimeter shooter and he also has a solid back to the basket game.


Not making Markieff out to be any sort of star here, but I think it's a clear upgrade over Sullinger, and it's an opportunity to consolidate the roster a bit.

[Tr1boy]

Just trade Brandon Jennings for Markieff SVG. Dont break up the twins lol

Suns prob be good with jennings coming off the bench

Problem solved

[Who]

Not making Markieff out to be any sort of star here, but I think it's a clear upgrade over Sullinger

I think Markieff Morris is a star. I consider him a top 10 PF in the league.

[Rondo9]

The only thing Morris has over Sullinger is health. I don't even think he's that good at containing pick and roll and Sullinger has been productive when he plays over 30 minutes.

Sully has been pretty productive when he plays over 30 minutes.  But how frequently can he actually do that?  How often will he be healthy enough to actually play?  Is he going to eat his way out of the league?

These are very real, serious questions for Sullinger.

Again, I also think that Markieff's ability to switch onto wings as well as centers makes him a better fit for Stevens' offense.  Plus, Markieff has shown more as a perimeter shooter and he also has a solid back to the basket game.


Not making Markieff out to be any sort of star here, but I think it's a clear upgrade over Sullinger, and it's an opportunity to consolidate the roster a bit.

I think the sample size is big enough and I want to see how he does this year since he's losing the weight honestly Morris seems to be a marginal upgrade not that I don't want him but I rather give up olynyk than sullinger