5) If you were general manager Ryan McDonough, what would you do in this situation?
Bourguet: Wait it out. If a fair offer comes in, a parting of ways would obviously be what’s best for both parties. But if I’m McDonough, I’m calling his bluff and giving this depreciating asset the chance to increase its value before I decide to sell low. If he causes problems in the locker room or with the team chemistry, suspend him without pay and see how committed he really is to his stubborn stance on all this.
Chasen: I wait. And I wait. And I wait. If McDonough wants Morris gone, he can actually build leverage by waiting for multiple suitors to line up and forcing them to outbid each other. However, if he panics and is more worried about trading Morris now instead of waiting for value, he loses all that leverage, and someone will swoop in and take him for next-to-nothing. Patience is a virtue. That’s my motto if I’m Ryan McDonough.
Harris: Markieff is a volatile player as it is, so keeping him on the Suns when he clearly has no interest in playing for them just spells trouble. So that gives McDonough an easy choice: trade Markieff he wants to leave and the Suns can still get a good player in return.
Hann: I’m calling EVERY team in the NBA about a potential Markieff trade. I’m aiming for both a young player and a first rounder (most likely somewhat protected) or an established power forward that could replace Morris in the starting lineup. This is the front I’m putting on but 100 percent deep down, I know I am not going to have to be blown away by an offer to pull the trigger to send Markieff and his pending assault case out of town.
Schall: I’d hold on to Markieff until I got an offer I would have liked before he made trade demands. He’s under contract for four more seasons, so until he comes out and says he intends to not play, he has zero leverage. If the Suns force him to make the next move, this situation might just resolve itself, and if not, they’re not any worse for the wear.
Next: Drawing Up Potential Markieff Morris Trades