Report: Pelicans, Suns have had trade talks surrounding Anderson, Morris
The New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns have had "exploratory conversations" involving a potential exchange of forwards Ryan Anderson and Markieff Morris, according to NOLA.com's John Reid.
The news comes following reports last week that the Pelicans have an interest in Morris, and with the NBA's trade period fully opening up Tuesday, rumors should begin to fly.
A swap of the power forwards could make sense from both perspectives. What was supposed to be another playoff season for the Pelicans is all but over as they sport a 6-18 record going into Wednesday, and Anderson is an unrestricted free agent next summer. In Morris, the Suns have a player who was publicly demanding to be moved as recently as September.
| Player | Age | Contract after 2016 | PTS | REB | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Anderson | 27 | UFA | 18 | 6.9 | 44 | 37.1 |
| Markieff Morris | 26 | 3 years/$24M | 11.4 | 5.2 | 38.6 | 27.9 |
While Anderson is more of a stretch-four, he also has a history of injuries. Morris, on the other hand, comes with questions regarding his off-court judgement.