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NBA Trade Rumors: 5 Teams That Should Trade For Markieff Morris

By Gerald Bourguet

Dec 21, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) sits the bench in the final second of their 110-89 loss to the Utah Jazz at vivint.SmartHome Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) sits the bench in the final second of their 110-89 loss to the Utah Jazz at vivint.SmartHome Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 18, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) and Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) look on during the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns won 104-88. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

1. New Orleans Pelicans

This isn’t a perfect deal for either team by any means, but it makes sense for both sides on some levels.

For the New Orleans Pelicans, it’s rapidly becoming clear that the goal of this season needs to change from making the playoffs and building on last year’s first round sweep to bottoming out for a top pick in the draft and supplying Anthony Davis with a young, talented running mate for years to come.

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A foundation like that is an enticing prospect to build upon, even if this season has been a majorly disappointing step backward. Ryan Anderson is one of the few things the Pellies have had to feel good about this season, with the sixth man stretch-4 averaging 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game on 36.7 percent shooting from three-point range.

But Anderson becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer and could be heading for a big payday from someone. With everyone on this roster other than the Brow being expendable, the Pellies might not want to commit long-term money to a 27-year-old Ryan Anderson as they look to build for the future.

Instead, they could have a productive player of the same position who actually plays defense and would be on the roster for the next three years at an extremely reasonable price. It might also move Davis to the 5 where the Pelicans hope he can develop, especially since the priority could then become moving Omer Asik in a separate deal.

On Phoenix’s end, Anderson seems like more of a win-now move, which doesn’t make too much sense given the new and unfortunate direction of this team’s season. But Anderson is an ideal fit for the Suns’ offense as a prototypical, deadly efficient stretch-4. Perhaps a player like that, even with all his defensive flaws, is worth investing in long-term.

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The contracts of Anderson and Morris match up perfectly, and unless McDonough somehow swindles the Pelicans front office, draft picks wouldn’t be involved here.

Adding another power forward on an expiring deal isn’t ideal for the Suns, but the season is lost and having options at that position to choose from on the free agency market — with the inside track, no less — wouldn’t be the end of the world given how quickly this Markieff Morris situation has deteriorated.