Suns forward Markieff Morris has been traded to the Wizards, according to The Vertical's Shams Charania and Adrian Wojnarowski. Phoenix will receive a top-nine protected first-round pick in return as well as Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair.
The Wizards needed to make a move in order to remain in the playoff picture after a slow start to the season. The team was desperately lacking a stretch power forward who could complement their new offensive identity and have definitely gotten a talented one in Morris. Yet the deal carries plenty of risk.
Morris clashed with former Suns coach Jeff Hornacek on numerous occasions and demanded a trade this past offseason after his brother Marcus was traded to Detroit. Recently he had an altercation during a timeout with teammate Archie Goodwin that almost escalated to blows. He has plenty of baggage that suggests his attitude can hurt a team as much as his play helps it.
The trade also hurts the Wizards' chances of potentially signing Kevin Durant in the offseason, as it has added long-term salary to their cap sheet. It will all be worth it if they can make the playoffs and Morris stops with the antics, but Washington is taking a big chance here.
What the Wizards get in this trade
Morris is one season removed from averaging 15 points, six rebounds and two assists. He has the tools to be the type of playmaking power forward that provides tremendous offensive flexibility. His outside shot is not as good as it needs to be to really draw out a big man, but if he gets more open shots playing next to John Wall then he could make defenses pay for collapsing into the paint. Morris is shooting a decent 36 percent on wide-open looks, which means that there's still hope for him as an outside threat.
Morris is used to playing at a fast pace, so he should adapt to the Wizards' style rather quickly. It wouldn't be surprising to see him start right away and potentially make an immediate impact. He's been playing well recently for the Suns and should be able to fill the power forward spot that has been problematic for Washington all season long. The fit is certainly good.
What the Suns get in this trade
They get rid of Morris while netting an asset back, which is not something that seemed possible a few weeks ago. He was a disruptive presence since the offseason and his behavior was not going to change as long as he was in Phoenix. The move allows them to finally move on and focus on developing their young players in a more stable environment. The veterans they got back should help in that area.
The first-round pick could easily land in the lottery, as the Wizards are three games back from the eighth seed in the East. It could allow them to continue their youth movement or be packaged with other assets for a star in the offseason. It's a fantastic return for a player that wasn't in the Suns' long-term plans and had a reputation that at one point made him seem close to impossible to trade.