The Phoenix Suns and Markieff Morris have appeared to put aside their differences from this summer, as the forward said he was happy to be at training camp after demanding a trade this offseason. Morris was upset that his brother Marcus Morris was traded, but after media day with the team, Morris said that he "wants" to be with the Suns.
Morris was mentioned in numerous trade rumors over the summer, as he went public with his dissatisfaction with the move the Suns made regarding his brother. Morris reportedly felt that the twins took a discount to remain in Phoenix and that was one of the main reasons why he demanded a trade. Morris was fined and with camp on the horizon, reports had the Suns not looking to make a deal.
The Arizona Republic reported before camp that newly signed free agent Tyson Chandler would try and smooth over the situation and after media day it appears that something has worked regarding Morris. According to beat writer Paul Coro, Morris was asked about the trade demand and what happened this summer and he said: "I want to be here" regarding his future with the team. Coro added that Morris "doesn't want to talk about the past" and hopes to move forward.
Morris is the most talented player at his position for the Suns and the team did not want to deal him over the summer. Morris is playing on a fairly affordable deal at four years and $32 million and he came into the season after putting up the best numbers of his career last year. Morris averaged 15.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game last season while playing in all 82 games.
Chandler was the major free agent signing for the Suns this summer and he said earlier this month that he hoped to give Morris advice about his situation. Chandler called Morris a "special player" and head coach Jeff Hornacek said to the Arizona Republic that Chandler can be a great leader and that he brings "experience" to the young roster. The Suns feel that they can make a run to the playoffs this season and Morris being on the team only adds to those expectations. The team is hoping Morris stays happy through the season after what happened this summer.
The Suns played this situation fairly smart, as the team realized that they were in the position of power regarding Morris. Morris could have boycotted camp or made a stink about playing for the Suns, but that would only be detrimental for him, as the team likely would not find a suitable deal for a player of his talent. Morris is a young player with a ton of potential and is on a team friendly deal, so the chances of the Suns getting an even return (or close to it) were very slim.
Check here for more on the Suns, Morris and the camp/trade situation.