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Suns GM McDonough on Dragic: 'Sometimes, players get a little selfish'

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough had some choice remarks for Goran Dragic on Friday, saying he wasn't their best player. 

"Eric Bledsoe and Markieff Morris are still in Phoenix Suns uniforms," McDonough told media, as reported by Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.

McDonough and team president Lon Babby held a news conference a day after trading away two-thirds of their much-discussed point guard trio.

Dragic, shortly after saying he no longer trusted the Suns organization, was moved to the Miami Heat in the day's biggest deal, while Isaiah Thomas was shipped to the Boston Celtics

The Suns also dealt a third point guard, rookie Tyler Ennis, and big man Miles Plumlee to the Milwaukee Bucks, getting back guard Brandon Knight to run the point alongside Bledsoe.

Babby said Dragic's comments about not trusting the Suns were "unfair and unwarranted" aspersions, while McDonough added that he didn't see a wishlist of trade destinations from Dragic after he asked out of Phoenix. 

"We really didn't care if there was a list or not," McDonough said. "Sometimes, players get a little selfish and are more worried about I, me and my than us, our and we."

Dragic got his wish in moving to Miami, reportedly one of his desired landing spots, but McDonough said the Suns came out ahead by obtaining Knight, who he believes is the best player in the deal. 

Stretch or not, Knight will not suit up for the Suns on Friday night as he awaits his physical, but the hope is he'll play Saturday against the Chicago Bulls

The Suns' experiment going into this season with Dragic, Bledsoe and Thomas was picked by many to fail from the start. The offseason addition of Thomas especially was considered a head-scratcher, given that Dragic found most of his success during his 2013-14 breakout season when Bledsoe was on the shelf due to injury.

McDonough, however, said he does not regret signing Thomas. 

"If some of the moves ruffle Goran's feathers, so be it," Babby added.

A lot of people can't figure out what Phoenix is doing. ESPN's Amin Elhassan, who once worked for the Suns organization, brought up this point after Friday's press conference.

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