Arizonasports.com’s John Gambadoro says things could “get ugly, real ugly,” if the Phoenix Suns don’t trade disgruntled forward Markieff Morris, who is livid the Suns shipped brother Marcus to Detroit.
“Markieff is not calling back teammates and plans to be very standoffish when he reports to camp. He does not plan on arriving until he absolutely has to, so no pickup games with the boys before camp starts. He is expected to make a circus of media day,” writes Gambadoro. “He has told those close to him he can never be happy in Phoenix. That he won’t say a word to any of the Suns’ upper management and will have one-word answers for coach Jeff Hornacek. He will keep things short and simple.”
Markieff will be fined if he doesn’t report to training camp.
“The Suns as of now have no intention of accommodating the demands of Markieff and may very well call his bluff. He is their starting power forward and is under contract, and so they expect him to perform,” Gambadoro writes. “But how long can the Suns go with an unhappy player, one who plans to cause problems? Could the Suns end up suspending Markieff? Will they eventually trade him? Will Markieff finally learn to think for himself instead of having his brother do it for him?
“How this will play out will be fascinating drama. A spoiled, troubled millionaire athlete, who is not even that good of a player, making demands and promising to wreck the Suns’ season before it even starts. A player who demands a phone call from management but couldn’t call the Suns himself after he was arrested for felony aggravated assault (in case that is still in the courts).”
Miami, Toronto and Houston are considered possible trading partners with Phoenix.
