15 People who turned their backs on the Phoenix Suns
By Tyler Watts
14. Markieff Morris
The Suns drafted Morris with the 13th overall pick in 2011. The 6’9 forward went one selection before his twin brother Marcus, and Kawhi Leonard was taken 15th overall. Phoenix was just beginning what turned into a decade-long playoff drought. Morris was part of the rotation as a rookie and transformed into a starter by year four.
The 6’9 forward never blossomed into a star, but both he and his twin brother signed extensions with the Suns in 2014. They were playing together and happy, but things quickly unraveled. In July 2015, Phoenix dumped Marcus Morris, Danny Granger, and Reggie Bullock on the Pistons for a 2020 second-round draft pick. It split up the brothers and upset Markieff.
He requested a trade in August, but the franchise did not move him until the 2016 deadline. In his 37 games to start the season, Morris averaged 11.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 24.8 minutes per game. He shot just 39.7 percent from the field and no longer wanted to play in Phoenix. They traded Morris for Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair, and a first-round draft pick.
The drama with the Morris twins did not stop there. Marcus earned himself a place on this list after both brothers were in new cities.