It still feels like there’s one more major trade that needs to go down before the start of NBA training camp, and no, it isn’t DeMarcus Cousins. With Markieff Morris going public about his intentions to be traded before the new season starts, the Phoenix Suns are in a bind.
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There are two opposing schools of thought as to how the Suns should proceed: trade him immediately to rid the locker room of a potentially destructive presence, or call his bluff to avoid trading him while his value is at its lowest. Each course of action comes with its own respective risks, but here are a few undeniable facts that proponents of both sides can agree upon:
- The Suns probably won’t be getting equal return for Morris if they trade him now
- Several teammates have publicly stated their support for Markieff as a teammate
- Archie Goodwin‘s name has been popping up throughout all of this
That last point is the one that concerns us today.
There’s no question that the pressure is on for Archie Goodwin this season. Entering his third season in the league, this would have been a big year for him even if he didn’t have someone breathing down his neck in the rotation. Due to his defensive flaws and his lack of a perimeter jump shot, Goodwin has been unable to earn rotation minutes through his first two seasons.
Goodwin displayed a vastly improved release on his jump shot during NBA Summer League, and it’s far too early to give up on a 21-year-old who has shown flashes of potential. Just ask Jonas Valanciunas:
The unpolished shooting guard only averaged 5.6 points in 13.0 minutes per game last season, shooting a dismal 39.3 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from three-point territory. But once his minutes started coming after the NBA trade deadline, Goodwin began to find his groove.
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In February, he averaged 7.3 points in 13.0 minutes per game on 48.5 percent shooting. He had a rough shooting month in March, when his numbers dropped to 5.8 points per game on 37.3 percent shooting, but he finished the season relatively strong, averaging 7.6 points in 22.4 minutes per game while shooting 40.8 percent from the floor.
The Suns fell apart down the homestretch, which helps explain Goodwin’s drastic uptick in minutes. But after just two NBA seasons — both of which came under the legal drinking age for Goodwin — it’s far too early to declare him a bust.
However, even though Goodwin has paid his dues and started showing signs of breaking through toward the end of last season, the pressure is all on Goodwin entering training camp. The reason? Well, with the 13th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, the Suns selected a player who could easily steal his minutes as a rookie.
With the arrival of the 6’6″ sharpshooter Devin Booker, the Suns added a player whose pure shooting stroke should translate to the NBA right away. Though he’ll go through his typical rookie struggles involving team defense, adjusting to the speed of the game and the grind of an 82-game season, the three-point threat that Booker provides could give him an edge over Goodwin’s athleticism simply because he’ll help spread the floor.
But wait, there’s more! With the addition of Sonny Weems, a player that general manager Ryan McDonough and Jeff Hornacek have referred to as quite possibly the first guard off the bench, the era of Goodwin as the team’s backup shooting guard may be over before it ever began.
That’s not the only reason Suns fans have been looking at Goodwin as one of the more expendable players on the roster, however.
A few weeks ago, Goodwin became the first Suns player to go on the record about the Markieff Morris situation, telling SiriusXM NBA Radio:
"“I can’t speak too much on that situation but I can say that the last couple years I’ve been with (him), Markieff is a great guy, one of my favorite guys to be around,” Goodwin said. “He’s a really positive guy to me and for everybody else. He’s always been a team-first guy.“I love Markieff. I love Marcus. I hope (Markieff) stays with us. I don’t know what’s going to happen with that situation. That’s why I really can’t speak on it. I really enjoy being around him and I wish the best for him whether he is with us or another team.”"
It’s no secret that at this point, the Suns would probably have to a throw a “sweetener” in a Markieff Morris trade to entice teams into giving something decent up — or to even facilitate a deal at all.
Even if you’re not in the camp that’s completely gung-ho about trading Keef (and therefore, also views Goodwin as the most logical trade sweetener due to his friendship with the Morrii), it’s hard to ignore that Goodwin appears to be the best balance between “young, attractive asset that will entice teams” and “expendable from Phoenix’s point of view.”
If the Suns feel the need to trade Markieff Morris before the 2015-16 season begins, then yes, Archie Goodwin could very well be on the table in order to get a deal done.
Sir Charles In Charge
But McDonough has never been one to sell low when it comes to trades, which means it’s just as likely the front office calls Keef’s bluff and forces him to show up to training camp. Otherwise, he’d be jeopardizing his career, especially since he still has four years on his current contract and could easily be suspended without pay if his actions prove to be detrimental to the team.
However, even if Keef is dealt before the new season begins, I’m guessing McDonough would prefer a deal that didn’t include Goodwin. Beggars can’t be choosers, of course, but Goodwin is still only 21 years old. He’s entering his last year of guaranteed money, but the Suns hold all the cards in that deck since his 2016-17 salary is a $2.1 team option.
Goodwin hasn’t gotten his opportunity in the NBA yet. You could easily argue it’s because he hasn’t been ready, but based on his youth, athleticism, incredibly low salary and improved form on his jump shot, he deserves at least one more chance to prove that his potential is worth sticking around for.
Even if he fails to do so in 2015-16, so what? Pay the measly $2.1 million — a fraction of the team’s cap room as the NBA’s salary cap is set to explode by about $20 million next summer — and give it another go. Even if his situation hasn’t changed and Booker firmly entrenches himself ahead of Goodwin in the rotation, he’ll still be young enough to move in a trade at that point.
Hardly anyone on this team is off-limits, but including Archie Goodwin in a potentially imminent Markieff Morris trade should only be a last resort.
Next: Drawing Up Potential Markieff Morris Trades