Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns seemed like they might be delusional going into the 2016 NBA Trade Deadline. They went into the deadline knowing that they needed to unload forward Markieff Morris both for his sanity and to maintain any semblance of chemistry on the Suns roster. According to a number of reports, though, the Suns were asking teams for a first round pick and a young asset in any trade for Morris. If that seems like entirely too much, that’s because it is.
However, that may have been a strategically planned move by the Suns to ask for that much (or leak that asking price to the media) because it ultimately paid off for them when they finally pulled the trigger on a Morris deal. In the end, they sent Morris to the Washington Wizards in exchange for a top-9 protected 2016 first round draft pick, Kris Humphries, and DeJuan player. So they got the first-rounder they were most likely the most interested in, but also added two veteran in the process to slot into their frontcourt.
While Phoenix would’ve probably been better off trading away more than just Morris at the deadline, how they approached a difficult situation with the forward and then got a great return for a piece they were trying to unload was masterful.
Grade: B+
Next: Trail Blazers