NBA Trade Deadline: Markieff Morris countdown for Suns stops at 1pm AZ time today

When Jerry Colangelo, the Godfather of Phoenix sports, visited the 98.7 FM Arizona Sports/KTAR studios this week for Newsmakers Week, that hour of radio became a "must listen".

While everything that Jerry says is inspirational - at the same time, a stark, stark contrast to current Suns ownership - it's how he ended the interview that had me shaking a fist like Judd Nelson.

"No one is bigger than the franchise," Colangelo said about malcontents in general, and that while every situation is different he as an owner had no patience for those who tainted the image of his beloved team.

It was Colangelo who traded Robert Horrry within a week of throwing a towel at coach Danny Ainge. And it was Colangelo who traded Jason Kidd within weeks of being accused of domestic abuse, and Stephon Marbury when he started acting all kinds of crazy.

But JC admits that was a different time, when it was easier to hide your dirty laundry away from the public until you could clean it up. These days with social media - especially when the player is the one using it - it's impossible for teams to act before word gets out. And once word gets out, transactions are a lot harder to execute.

By now, you've got to know I'm talking about Markieff Morris, the man who's tainted the Suns image in so many ways over the past year+. Need I recap all the ways? Need I update the 'Timeline of Self-Destruction' to go through last week's attack of Archie Goodwin on the sideline during a timeout?

Even this quote from Markieff yesterday after a week of pondering leaves one scratching their head. This is from the Suns newly-appointed leader, remember.

"Being as though Archie is like my little brother," Morris said to Paul Coro last night. "I felt more bad about it once I seen it. Because I know how I am. With a little guy once I get mad, it's like I turn into the Hulk. It's one of those things with my little brother, so it was a tough thing to actually see me act like that toward somebody that I've got a lot of love for."

Uhhh.

So he only felt bad because it was Archie he did that too? And he's got experience going after "little guys"? I suppose when you're 6'10", 245 most everyone you see is a little guy. Archie looked small, but don't forget he's 6'5" himself. Imagine if you're just a regular sized human being, at a basketball game, and you've walked outside only to see two of the Morrii waiting--

But I digress.

Back to today.

Today is the trade deadline

And I for one don't want to be making a different Judd Nelson face if the Suns still have Markieff Morris on the roster after 1:00pm today.

After that deadline, you cannot trade any of your players until after the season ends. Which means that if Markieff is not traded by 1:00pm today, especially given the effusive love being heaped on him by the interim coach, we've got at least 28 more games of seeing that's mug in a Suns uni.

Morris rumors

There really aren't any rumors specifically tying Markieff Morris to another team. Yet.

However, there are several reports that teams are willing to throw "first round pick" at the Suns to take Morris off their hands. The problem here is that nearly every team has to send salary back to make a trade work, so what's likely making the Suns pause is the return offering. The Suns would love a young player back, but instead are likely being offered a really bad contract/player instead.

Still, I see this happening one way or another before 1:00pm. Maybe some team blinks and makes a better offer. Maybe they don't. At some point, McDonough and crew will need to swallow their pride and accept the best offer.

If they don't, and Markieff is still a Phoenix Suns player this afternoon, well...

Other rumors

There aren't any of these either. Yet.

I really think Mirza Teletovic will be on another team, after someone who needs a stretch four strikes out on Ryan Anderson and Channing Frye.

I'm not so sure P.J. Tucker will be traded. He loves the Suns, and has never been a problem. But Tucker might actually garner the best offer of return value, so don't be surprised if he's gone.

Post your rumors and news here

This is our open thread for the day. The guys will post news as it happens, but this thread will stay up here as a conversation piece all day long.

"Just weighing on my shoulders," Morris said. "Happy when it's over."

Stay tuned, Suns fans!