Just when it looked like the Phoenix Suns were going to hold on to Markieff Morris for the remainder of the season, the team pulled the trigger on a last-minute trade to send the disgruntled forward out of town.
Just minutes before the NBA's 1 p.m. trade deadline arrived, the Suns dealt Morris in exchange for a first-round draft pick, forward DeJuan Blair and forward/center Kris Humphries.
Now former #Suns player Markieff Morris exiting Talking Stick Resort Arena for final time pic.twitter.com/qB96D4i7qT
— Craig Grialou (@CraigAZSports) February 18, 2016
Speculation ran rampant for months that the Suns would trade Morris, but earlier this week, a report surfaced that the Suns would hold on to Morris until the end of the season if they didn't receive a first-round pick and a young player in return.
"Today we added another first-round pick to our collection of picks while keeping our young core intact," Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said in a statement. "We are excited to watch this group of players continue to develop and grow together."
Morris has had a number of issues on and off the court. Last year, he and his twin brother, former Suns forward Marcus Morris, were charged with felony assault. Markieff also had issues with former Suns coach Jeff Hornacek.
See also: Markieff Morris' 5 worst moments with the Suns
Last week, Morris got into a shoving match with his now former teammate, guard Archie Goodwin. On multiple occasions, Morris expressed a desire to be traded from the Suns.
Blair has averaged 2.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 29 games this season. Humphries, who is perhaps best known for his former marriage to Kim Kardashian, has averaged 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in 28 games this season.
