Life On Planet Orange
1. After such a productive offseason filled with solid additions of locker room leaders and proven veterans (Tyson Chandler, Ronnie Price and even Mirza Teletovic, to an extent), it is clear Phoenix has been aiming for a culture change coming into the upcoming season. And from all angles, it looks like that’s exactly what they will get.
There is just one roadblock. Oh, hello Markieff Morris, can you keep down the crying and screaming? I’m trying to write my weekly column.
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Honestly, is it even the NBA anymore if one of the Morris twins is not throwing a public fit at least once a week? When these two say “FOE” (Family Over Everything) they must truly mean it, because they have shown approximately zero regard for their public perception and growing reputation as immature babies around the NBA. Not only that, Markieff has come across as absolutely delusional in his comments to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, calling himself the “premier player” on the Suns.
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No disrespect to the power forward, but last time I checked, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight are still alive and well. If you average 15.3 points and 6.4 rebounds a night (but can’t defend, rebound or shoot the three) you’re a solid player on your team, but you are FAR from THE player on your team. Markieff’s comments oozing of self-entitlement are as ignorant as they are comical.
2. While it is an undisputed fact that Markieff has created this friction and will continue to only add coals to the fire, the question must be asked: Did Phoenix potentially start the fire?
Yes, the NBA is a business and there are probably only 3-4 truly untouchable players out there, but how hard would it had been for the Suns to let Markieff and his brother know beforehand that he was headed to the Pistons? From the Suns’ perspective, at the time of the transaction, they were surely convinced that LaMarcus Aldridge was about to choose them as the winner of his free-agency bonanza.
In their minds, Markieff’s value was incredibly diminished with Aldridge taking his spot in the starting lineup, giving the Suns a dominant power forward and serving as the face of the franchise. From Markieff’s perspective, it was a double slap in the face. First, his brother was being traded away without any sort of heads up or consultation (which he did not deserve). And not only that, Phoenix was actively chasing a player to replace him in the lineup and — in his mind — as the “premier player” on the team.
The Suns had every right to execute the moves they did, but they also ran a risk of pissing off an extremely temperamental player and losing out on Aldridge at the same time. Which, of course, is what has happened. Blame Scale: 30 percent Suns/70 percent Markieff.
3. Last but not least, general manager Ryan McDonough is put in an INCREDIBLY tough position. Again. There are three ways McDonough can handle this situation.
- Wait it out. Go ahead and let Markieff show up to training camp. Call his bluff and feel good knowing that you have Tyson Chandler in the locker room to call the power forward out on any childish displays or comments he makes to the media.
- Suspend Markieff indefinitely, effectively blocking him out of the NBA. However, this situation is incredibly unlikely given the fact that his four-year extension with the Suns starts this season, making that a LONG process with no clear ending in sight.
- TRADE. TRADE. TRADE. This option might be the most obvious but the most conflicting. If the Suns wanted to, could they make a trade that sends Markieff away for good? Absolutely, he is a pain, but far from a player that teams are scared of taking a chance on. Especially for just $8 million a season. The trick is getting back player(s) of equal value, while also making the transaction work, cap-wise. Simply put (aside from a straight-up trade with Chicago for Taj Gibson, MAKE IT HAPPEN MCDONOUGH), there is not much out there for the Suns to get back in any Morris trade that they can feel good about. The times of accumulating draft picks are over for Phoenix, they need a starting caliber power forward in any move they make, truly complicating the matter.
If I Were John Gambadoro For This Week…
I am tweeting right at Markieff and taking him head on. The world already saw how funny and error-filled one Morris twin’s tweets are when he is mad, let’s just try out his brother! With an equal amount of verbal ammunition to throw at Markieff via Twitter, there would be no holding back as I rant with Morris and improve my show ratings at the same time.
I can only hope he is traded soon so I can post my classic limousine, ride to the airport picture. Oh and when we battle on Twitter, try diversifying your vocabulary and using comebacks other than “clown.” I know I will.
Suns Memory Of The Week
To think it was all good vibes at that point…well, does it at least make you feel any better that this pick was made with Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris and Nikola Mirotic still available? No? Me neither.
Tweet Of The Week
Brandon Knight on Markieff Morris: “If he stays with us, we’d love to have him” http://t.co/13nPXPmgQH
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) August 16, 2015
Doesn’t matter if you agree with Brandon Knight or not. He is displaying the type of professionalism that’s going to make him a mainstay in the Sun’s locker room for years to come. Markieff would be wise to take notes.
Next: Drawing Up Potential Markieff Morris Trades