Phoenix Suns: Setting Expectations For Trade Deadline

The Brother Factor

Here’s the bad thing about uniting not one, but two sets of brothers: they become a package deal. The Suns signed Zoran Dragic to a two-year deal to make his brother Goran happy and make Phoenix feel that much more like home. This gives them an edge in attempting to re-sign him, but if they were to drop Zoki in any way, it would send the worst message possible to their coveted free agent at the worst time.

As for the Morris twins, even their extension was basically a package deal. That means even if the Suns wanted to package the extremely valuable Markieff Morris in a deal for a star, they’d have to include Marcus Morris as well. That’s unattractive to suitors who may only want Kieff.

If the Suns want to pull off a minor deal and move a helpful shooter like Marcus Morris, that would just piss off Markieff. Unhappy players don’t play well, as we saw for the first few seasons when Kieff was playing without his twin brother around. What if the key to their potential is playing with each other, ala the Biblical Sampson drawing his strength from his hair?

By making the feel-good moves to unite brothers, the Suns have ensured that they must either have both, or none at all. That’s not ideal for trying to make trades.

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