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Phoenix Suns: Drawing Up Potential Markieff Morris Trades

By Gerald Bourguet

Jan 7, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Suns power forward Markieff Morris (right) is defended by Chicago Bulls power forward Taj Gibson (22) during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 7, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Phoenix Suns power forward Markieff Morris (right) is defended by Chicago Bulls power forward Taj Gibson (22) during the first quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Phoenix Suns trade Markieff Morris to the Philadelphia 76ers for Carl Landry in our seventh trade scenario, via ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine /

Philadelphia 76ers

Cut to angry Suns fans salivating over the prospect of banishing Keef’s bad attitude to the NBA’s own Siberia. The City of Brotherly Love jokes would be hard NOT to laugh at considering the whole “Team FOE” dynamic got us here, but I digress. The Philadelphia 76ers certainly aren’t trying to win games in 2015-16, and bringing in Markieff Morris wouldn’t move the needle much.

A straight-up swap for Carl Landry works salary-wise, and would get the Suns another power forward in return. The 31-year-old Landry will serve little purpose on the aimless Sixers other than possibly mentoring Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor, so rescuing him from that kind of punishment would give him a chance to have an impact for a team that’s actually chasing something.

Last season, Landry averaged 7.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 17 minutes per game in 70 appearances for the Sacramento Kings. The season before, he only played in 18 games, so health might be an issue here. But in a limited role off the bench, he’d be a useful reserve who’d also be a positive presence in the locker room.

Like a few of the trade scenarios presented here, Landry isn’t the sexiest draw for what might be the NBA’s best non-rookie contract. But with Keef’s trade stock in decline, the Suns might have to take what they can get.

One word of caution, however: when you enter the war room with Sam Hinkie, guy who stockpiles future draft picks like nuclear warheads, it’s going to be hard to hammer out a deal without surrendering a future pick of some kind — especially in this situation where Hinkie and the rest of the league knows the Suns have no leverage.

Next: Trade Scenario 8

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