Phoenix Suns Suspend Markieff Morris For Towel Incident
Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris has been suspended for two games by the organization after he threw a towel in the face of head coach Jeff Hornacek, according to ESPN.
If Morris were to be completely honest on social media, his mood would always be set to “frustrated.” The former Kansas Jayhawks star simply does not want to be with the Suns.
Markieff is upset with management because they traded his twin brother, Marcus Morris, to the Detroit Pistons over the summer. Trade demands have repeatedly been made since.
Phoenix doesn’t want to be forced into a situation where they take a lesser deal for Markieff Morris in a trade because other NBA teams know that Morris and the Suns both want out.
In addition to fuming over his brother being traded, Morris now had the extra frustration of losing games and minutes. There’s only so much that a man can take before exploding.
The explosion happened on Wednesday, as the Phoenix Suns played against the Denver Nuggets. Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek decided to pull Markieff during the fourth quarter.
Some players take setbacks well by using it to motivate them. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team but became one of the greatest NBA players of all time.
As expected, Markieff tried to downplay the incident by telling the media that he had no idea that the towel hit Hornacek. Morris did admit to being frustrated with the losing, though.
This was eerily similar to an ugly incident back in 1997 when veteran forward Robert Horry threw a towel out of frustrations towards then Phoenix Suns head coach Danny Ainge.
When asked about it, Jeff Hornacek stood by his decision to bench Markieff Morris by pointing out that the Phoenix Suns gave up 13 more points when Morris was on the floor.
The two-game suspension means that Morris will be forced to miss playing against the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers, both of which are being played at home in Phoenix.
From a financial standpoint, Markieff Morris will definitely be feeling the effects of his suspension on his wallet. Each of his game checks are for $145,455, which totals $290,910.
It is hard to imagine that this ugly situation between Morris and the Suns is going to last the entire season. Something has to give by the time the NBA trade deadline rolls around.
There’s also a chance that Morris might be involved in a trade for Dwight Howard, as the Houston Rockets are said to be interested in moving him before he opts out of his contract.
Markieff Morris might also be reunited with Marcus Morris, as reports have also surfaced that the Detroit Pistons are looking to add more front court talent to help Andre Drummonds.
Then again, a contract buyout might end up being the solution, as some NBA teams might be hesitant to trade for Markieff Morris because of legal issues that he is still facing.
The Morris twins were indicted earlier in the year by a Maricopa County grand jury. Markieff and Marcus allegedly were part of a group that assaulted a man outside a recreation center.
Jeff Hornacek might choose to keep Markieff Morris out of the Phoenix Suns rotation. That way, he can prepare the team for a future without their 26-year-old forward.
[Featured Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]
