NBA Trade Rumors: Toronto Raptors Interested In Phoenix Suns Star

NBA trade rumors are saying that the Toronto Raptors are looking to add more weapons before the NBA Playoffs and are actively looking into acquiring Markieff Morris from the Phoenix Suns, according to Hoops Rumors. Morris has been unhappy with the Suns organization since they traded his brother, Marcus Morris, away and has been demanding a way out ever since.

The odds of being able to acquire Markieff Morris has increased tremendously for teams in the NBA. Frustrations boiled over during the game against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. During a timeout, Morris got into an argument with teammate Archie Goodwin that ended up in a shoving match. Phoenix Suns players and coaches had to get in between them to break things up.

Back in 2014, when he was happy and playing hard for the Phoenix Suns, Markieff Morris was putting up 15.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He looked well on his way to become an eventual NBA All-Star player. Morris is a well-rounded player, and he would provide the Toronto Raptors with an upgrade in the front court. The former Kansas Jayhawks star is also versatile, being able to play forward and center.

If acquired, Markieff Morris would start at forward with James Johnson, while Jonas Valanciunas would man the center position. That would enable Luis Scola to head back to the bench, where he would provide backup minutes behind Morris and Valanciunas. Along with emerging backup center Bismack Biyombo, the Toronto Raptors would have a pretty formidable front court to do battle in the NBA Playoffs.

Since the Phoenix Suns are desperate to unload Markieff Morris before the NBA trade deadline, the Toronto Raptors might not need to give up too much to acquire the 6’10”, 230 pound player. Patrick Patterson is currently a valuable backup forward and role player for the Raptors, but they can afford to give him up because Morris would simply occupy his spot in the rotation.

For the Phoenix Suns, Patrick Patterson would be a welcomed replacement. He wouldn’t cause chemistry issues in the locker room. Patterson would most certainly not be throwing a towel at Suns interim head coach Earl Watson, which was what Markieff Morris did to recently fired Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek. For Patterson, it would be a way to earn a starting position, something that he lost with the Toronto Raptors after a horrible preseason stint.

Toronto Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri might be hesitant to pull the trigger, however. His team is playing really well right now and have moved their way up to the second spot in the Eastern Conference. That means that they get to avoid LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers until the conference championship round. It also means that they get to play the first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs at home in the Air Canada Centre.

A change of scenery could do Markieff Morris some good. Being in Toronto means that he’s only an hour away via flight from Detroit, where his younger brother, Marcus Morris, plays for the Pistons. The Raptors currently have a winning environment and a good locker room atmosphere, which would do well for Morris, someone whose attitude is not all that pleasant when his team is constantly losing games.

Regardless of what happens before the NBA trade deadline, the odds of Markieff Morris sporting a new jersey is extremely high. Even if Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough cannot find a trade partner, he’s more than likely just going to release Morris.

[Featured Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]