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2016 NBA Trade Deadline Grades For All 30 Teams

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) drives to the basket under pressure from Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris (12) at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) drives to the basket under pressure from Orlando Magic forward Tobias Harris (12) at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 4, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris (11) reacts to a call made during the game against the Houston Rockets at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /

Phoenix Suns

The day of reckoning finally arrived for Markieff Morris and the Phoenix Suns, who parted ways thanks to a trade with the Washington Wizards that included a surprisingly impressive return of Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair and Washington’s 2016 first round pick (top-9 protected).

Humphries (6.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 16.6 MPG) and Blair (2.1 PPG, 2.o RPG, 7.5 MPG) are underwhelming returns, but Blair is expected to be waived and Humphries has a $4.6 million team option next season. That could become useful with the team’s other power forwards, Mirza Teletovic and Jon Leuer, becoming unrestricted free agents this summer.

The real prize here is that first round pick. Getting any first round pick for Keef at this point is a victory for general manager Ryan McDonough, but if the season ended today, that pick would be projected as No. 12 in the draft. As long as the Wizards hover in that no man’s land between making the playoffs and narrowly missing them, the Suns could be looking at a late lottery pick.

This year’s draft class isn’t particularly deep, but McDonough has done extremely well in his last three drafts (No. 5 Alex Len and No. 29 Archie Goodwin in 2013; No. 14 T.J. Warren in 2014; No. 13 Devin Booker in 2015). The Suns can now commit to their youth movement with Keef no longer being an off-court distraction and Phoenix owns 10 first round picks over the next six years.

Keef was on a bargain contract ($24 million over the next three years) and his numbers under interim head coach Earl Watson (20.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 4.6 APG, 44.8 FG%) were disheartening after watching him mail it in under Jeff Hornacek.

But a break was badly needed, and somehow, McD was able to get a respectable return for a player who called out the home fans, had the second most technical fouls last year; publicly demanded a trade; got benched by Jon Leuer after mailing it in; threw a towel at his head coach; got in an altercation with a teammate; and still faces felony aggravated assault charges.

Grade: A-

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