Marcus Morris Comes To Phoenix Looking For Comfortability And An Opportunity

There is a not so subtle theme brewing in 2013 and we are just a few short months into the calendar year. In February the Harbaugh Brothers met on the gridiron for the Super Bowl and now with the recent acquisition of Marcus Morris by the Phoenix Suns there is brotherly love on the hardwood.

Marcus and Markieff Morris were teammates for 109 games in college, all throughout high school, and on the playgrounds coming up in Philadelphia. For the first time ever, for the last two years -- 698 days, they are back on the basketball court playing basketball together like they were telepathically born to do.

The duo is now reunited in Phoenix taking their journey from Philadelphia, to Kansas, and now to Phoenix (after a brief stint in Houston for Marcus).

Houston was never a situation that was comfortable for Marcus playing the first year and a half there including a stint in the Developmental League. The Rockets are a very deep at the time with a lot of players in similar positions and Marcus ended being the odd man out of the rotation.

"No, to be honest I never felt comfortable or myself (in Houston)," Marcus told me after his debut. "I don't feel a lot of people know my game because I had to take a backseat or the hid me in the back. I think here I will be able to open up and play my game and show everybody what I can do."

Getting traded to Phoenix was "exciting" and he "couldn't stop smiling." His debut included a pull-up three in transition, another long jumper, and two free-throws. All of those came while on the court in an unexpected appearance in a big loss to the Boston Celtics.

Now he can get back to feeling comfortable on the basketball court.

"It was cool man, I felt real comfortable, and I felt like myself for the first time in a while. I felt a little rusty, but as time goes on I will get better."

When they were in Kansas the duo was as effective as they come. Marcus was the scorer, Markieff was the rebounder, and they went on to win 101 games (six tournament games) in three years. The offense was cohesive with Marcus on the perimeter and Markieff in the paint to a tune of the 8th best offense in the Nation in 2010-2011.

Stylistically what they did in college is translatable to the next level. Marcus stretches the floor with his ability to shoot and handle the ball while Markieff cleans it all up in the paint.

"We have been intrigued for quite some time about the potential synergy from having both of the Morris twins on our team. So we are excited to have the opportunity to welcome Marcus to the Suns," said Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby.

Twin Magic as it has been coined has been a tale of two talents in the NBA as there is one more talented brother with the other being the his keeper. The Suns are all too familiar with that trend as they watched Robin Lopez and Taylor Griffin both play in the overcast shadow of their brothers Brook Lopez and Blake Griffin while here.

In college Markieff was Marcus' keeper, but that all changes as this is his team from a tenure standpoint, and to this point he has outplayed his brother on this level.

As Lon Babby pointed out, "the potential synergy" is intriguing, as is the potential that these two get back to their days playing Kansas as a potent 1-2 punch. The rational fear is that Markieff reverts back to where he was his entire life as a basketball player, back in the shadows of his older brother.

Can they replicate that off of the bench in the NBA? Time will tell on that, but the one thing that will happen is the two will be as happy and motivated as they ever have been as professionals.

"Definitely, for sure. You cannot just come in and think they are going to give you a spot," said Marcus about trying to avoid a similar situation with deep Suns roster. "

"So everyday -- day in and day out, I am going to do the same thing I did in Houston because I felt like I could have been with the starters over there or been playing significant minutes there. They played who they wanted to play over there. I think it will be a different situation here, people get a chance to go here."

The bench is poised with rookie Kendall Marshall leading the way and a litany of wings capable of playing alongside the twins in the front-court. This could lead to more time at the five for Markieff as he has the perfect mentor to help him transition from an offensive four to a dual threat five.

With Marcus and Markieff all set to sit next to each other on the bench in purple and orange the best should be brought out of both, but good luck to Interim Head Coach Lindsey Hunter in knowing who he is subbing in as he stares down the bench.