Markieff Morris, a good but not great power forward who averaged 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season, has suddenly become the most unpredictable story in the NBA heading into training camp.
Keef wants to be traded. The Phoenix Suns want — and need — to keep him. It’s become an uncomfortable staring contest, one where the Suns hold all the power and won’t likely budge with Morris’ trade value currently so low. The only question now is whether the front office will be forced to take drastic measures based on Keef’s attitude once he rejoins the team.
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All summer long, the Suns have made efforts to address their biggest areas of need. From three-point shooting (Devin Booker, Mirza Teletovic, Sonny Weems) to filling the dual point guard backcourt (Brandon Knight) to veteran experience (Tyson Chandler), Phoenix upgraded its roster in every way possible short of landing that LaMarcus Aldridge-sized fish in free agency.
But for a team looking to end a five-year playoff drought, Markieff Morris looks like a potential chemistry issue at best and a major distraction that could derail the season at worst, so the locker room leadership that Tyson Chandler was expected to bring may need to come before training camp even starts.
According to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, Chandler is up to the challenge:
"“Chandler has not been able to speak to Morris yet but he expects to do so soon. His message will focus on how Morris’ feelings toward General Manager Ryan McDonough, adviser and former President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby and Managing Partner Robert Sarver should have no bearing on his play or relationship with teammates and coaches.“‘It’s not about them,’ Chandler said. ‘That’s no offense to Ryan, the GM, or the owner. Players play for players and the coaches. You’ve got a bond. Management has nothing to do with anything that goes on when you’re on the court.“‘That’s just my thoughts. I’m not saying this for anything against Keef either. He’s a man and he has to go through his own process. But he can be special and I know he will. I feel like all this stuff will be forgotten once we kick off and we’re having success.’”"
Chandler is basically echoing what everyone in the Suns organization is hoping becomes the case: that once Morris rejoins his teammates and starts playing basketball again, he’ll calm down and realize it’s never been about playing for owner Robert Sarver, general manager Ryan McDonough or anyone else of the front office.
It’s about playing for his teammates, for himself and for the remaining four years and $32 million on his contract.
Luckily for the Suns, Chandler has some experience in the department of reevaluating what’s important as well. Back in 2009 when he played for the New Orleans Hornets, Chandler was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the deal was rescinded because he had turf toe. Chandler had to rejoin a potentially awkward situation, but he told Coro he handled the situation like a professional.
"“‘I let all of them know, in a meeting with the GM, that ‘I don’t play for you guys. I play for myself. I play for my family. And I play for other guys in that locker room.’ So it wasn’t difficult for me to come back and stand alongside my brothers because that’s who I play for.'”"
Now that he’s joined the Suns’ voluntary workouts in Phoenix, Chandler is getting the opportunity to bond with his new teammates in pickup games. In his interview with Coro, Chandler praised the young team’s work ethic and seemed excited to help lead his new band of brothers.
With Keef being the only contract Suns player not yet present at these voluntary workouts, and with Keef being the only player on the roster capable of dividing the locker room, Phoenix absolutely needs to get him back on the same page as the rest of the team to have any hope of sneaking into the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Chandler may have to take on his role as leader a bit sooner than expected, but as someone who’s been through a similar situation, him reaching out to Keef can only be a good thing. He may not be able to get Morris to see reason, but right now, Tyson Chandler feels like the Suns’ best shot at doing so.
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