Mr. Markieff Morris

[KaneSFFL]

Amidst all the offseason rumors of perhaps getting lebron or kevin love, it seems too many people on here are so ready to give up all of our young assets to get an immediate star. However, to me the way Phoenix will win a ring will be from the internal improvement of our young guns. Namely, this guy.

Why is everyone so ready to package him and green and len and picks for someone that may or may not even be what we need? I myself have such high hopes for Markieff I think he could become an unstoppable machine once he realizes his full potential, and this past year is proof that he learned something big over last off season.

His game is so smooth, he can score from anywhere. In his 3rd year in the league he already has one of the more versatile all around offensive games in the league for a big man. Im not sure where it was posted but someone mentioned that Kieff was one of the more effective shooters at any position on isolations from mid range. His turnaround J is already so solid, it could become even better. His face up game will improve once people realize his jumper is knockdown. He has good athleticism and if he just learns to show aggression around the basket, he could finish over the top of people more often.

A great freethrow shooter, a good three point shooter, with the ability to fake the shot and take 2 dribbles to the basket and finish. Can make the pass from the top of the circle. Saw him make a lot of nice passes this year, and not just to marcus as many say.

The biggest thing though, to me, is he has swag. FOE. This is a young man who with time will develop into one of the nastier players in the league in my opinion. Sheed like. The guy you want to dump the ball down low to to get you a big bucket. The guy who will step in a skirmish and regulate.
We all remember seeing him go against Blake griffin. Last year he dunked on him. This year he had some great games against him, seemingly impossible to stop as he either faced up and shot his midrange J or dribbled around him and got to the basket. We need a guy like this. GO GET ME A BUCKET GUY FROM THE POST.

In a league where stars are touted from the start, we have become accustomed to expecting greatness from the get-go. There are many players still who need time to develop, and Markieff has all the tools, has shown the jumps in his game from year to year, and still has much room to grow. Why would we want to give him away? I think trading him or failing to keep him next year would be a HUGE mistake. One that we will look back on and say, wow we f***** up big time.

I am hoping for huge things. This man, along with Archie, will be the duo raises PHX to the promised land. This year i wouldnt even be surprised if Kieffs averages go up to 17/8. He should be our starter, and then one of our main options in the coming years.

Don't get rid of this guy. Please.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

I was super-impressed with Kieff's offensive game this year as well. Very smooth. I found myself constantly surprised at his offensive efficiency. But the issue for me has to do with things seemingly out of his control. He struggles as a post defender because of his size. He's not disruptive defensively. Most importantly, he's a below average rebounder. Now, that doesn't mean he's not a starting-caliber 4, but without being great either defensively or on the glass makes him pretty one-dimensional. After all, most starters can score. But you depend on your bigs for interior D and rebounding. That's my issue anyways. That said, I hope for the best. Let's see what he can do this year, as he'll probably have ample opportunity.

[Saberestar]

Markieff.......is that you?

[KaneSFFL]

I was super-impressed with Kieff's offensive game this year as well. Very smooth. I found myself constantly surprised at his offensive efficiency. But the issue for me has to do with things seemingly out of his control. He struggles as a post defender because of his size. He's not disruptive defensively. Most importantly, he's not a below average rebounder. Now, that doesn't mean he's not a starting-caliber 4, but without being great either defensively or on the glass makes him pretty one-dimensional. After all, most starters can score. But you depend on your bigs for interior D and rebounding. That's my issue anyways. That said, I hope for the best. Let's see what he can do this year, as he'll probably have ample opportunity.

You're right about that, his D and rebounding leave much to be desired at this point.

However, i think he has great hands, and as he gets older and stronger, 6'9.5 255 is pretty good size to defend guys like blake, aldrige, etc. he could develop a Defensive game like karl malone where with great positioning and great hands, was able to strip a lot of guys.

His rebounding may never be great, but that is why we have hopes for LEN. Remember Rasheed never averaged double digit boards but he was a great smart defender and a beast on the offensive end.

[KaneSFFL]

Markieff.......is that you?

PAY ME.

[GetYourPHX]

One of the few great posts on this board amid the free agency frenzy that has riled up all the local crazies.

I agree with you. I'm really excited to see what the Chief brings to the table this year. Fans forget that he was in the running for sixth man of the year. He's one of the few players that can hit the turnaround fadeaway consistently, and that shot has defined two modern era legends (Kobe and Dirk).

I hope he's working on his three point shooting. If he could shoot 40% from the 3PT line, he'd earn himself a fat contract and be a great fit for the Suns system in the meantime.

[KaneSFFL]

i hope he doesn't shoot 40 % from the FT line! haha messing with you, I do think he will be High 30's this year in his 3 point shot and that would be great. 37-39 is not shabby for a big man that can do all the things he does inside. We won't miss a beat without channing. CHIEF!

[GetYourPHX]

Hahaha, yep, saw that and tried to pull a ninja edit but you caught me.

[sunsfever68]

Agreed he's kinda like a Davis West/ Rasheed Wallace type minus the craziness and 3 ball.

Kieff brings swagger toughness and a great midrange game.

Warren and kieff will bring the midrange game

Len and Plumlee can get the midrange and post buckets

Dragic and Bledsoe driving and penetrating

Now we just need some shooters

[KaneSFFL]

I think he has the threeball. He's shown he can make it it's not like we're converting him into a deep threat he just needs to get more consistent with it. Bosh took 8 years to develop it markieff will do it in 4.

In an ideal world, I wouldn't want any free agent signings, I'd want this starting line up develop while being consistent like the thunder have been doing, and win with our own guys.

Dragic
Bledsoe and Archie
Warren and pj
Kieff and Marcus
Len and plum.

We can be a team that just rotates out smart shooters like mike miller and ray, those are old guys that do that but currently bellinelli fills that role.

I didn't even mention Ennis or the fact that I think Archie's gonna be our leading scorer in a few years (by age 24)

Not to mention the satisfaction of doing it that way would be so great

[NTB]

Agreed he's kinda like a Davis West/ Rasheed Wallace type minus the craziness and 3 ball.

Kieff brings swagger toughness and a great midrange game.

Warren and kieff will bring the midrange game

Len and Plumlee can get the midrange and post buckets

Dragic and Bledsoe driving and penetrating

Now we just need some shooters

Green and Tucker for threes maybe. I know Tucker only shoots corner 3s and that's not enough.

[Revived]

Kieff is capable of shooting 3s he just prefers to be a man and use his size and play in the post instead of being a girl and camping out from the 3pt line chucking away.

Agreed with OP. Kieff is the most underrated player on this team. I hope he gets paid cause he deserves it and I hope it's us that gives it to him.

What people don't realize is that he's only gonna improve.

[LukasBMW]

Well, it looks like he will get his chance to start this year.

I think a lot of it depends on him. If given the chance to play 35 minutes a game will he put up 18/9 or more? If so, I think we can stop looking for a better power forward.

[Wannabe MEP]

Kieff is capable of shooting 3s he just prefers to be a man and use his size and play in the post instead of being a girl and camping out from the 3pt line chucking away.

Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Frye-Plumlee: 105.4 OffRtg
Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Kieff-Plumlee: 95.9 OffRtg

So maybe Kieff needs to just take his estrogen pills so he can make this team better.

[rsavaj]

Kieff is capable of shooting 3s he just prefers to be a man and use his size and play in the post instead of being a girl and camping out from the 3pt line chucking away.

Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Frye-Plumlee: 105.4 OffRtg
Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Kieff-Plumlee: 95.9 OffRtg

So maybe Kieff needs to just take his estrogen pills so he can make this team better.

This is what worries me most about losing Frye. That's a huge drop-off.

[RunDogGun]

I like MkMo, and for parts of last season, he was killing it. He is still too much of an ISO guy (so was our whole team last year), for me. And he plays best with his brother next to him, who also does too many ISO plays. But they do seem to find each other better, and if we split the two to start, I think he will not be as good. plus coming off the bench, he gains confidence playing against another team's bigs.

Next, he is way too foul prone, and when he has started in the past, he would force himself to the bench. Now if he can get that under control, rebound, and fluidly work within the offense, I think he will make a fine starter.

[Revived]

Kieff is capable of shooting 3s he just prefers to be a man and use his size and play in the post instead of being a girl and camping out from the 3pt line chucking away.

Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Frye-Plumlee: 105.4 OffRtg
Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Kieff-Plumlee: 95.9 OffRtg

So maybe Kieff needs to just take his estrogen pills so he can make this team better.

Thank god McD knows that advanced stats aren't the main thing that matters.

[Wannabe MEP]

Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Frye-Plumlee: 105.4 OffRtg
Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Kieff-Plumlee: 95.9 OffRtg

Thank god McD knows that advanced stats aren't the main thing that matters.

OffRtg is basically just points per possession (with the decimal place moved so its easier to interpret). Translation: it's how much they score. This unit scores a lot more than this unit when they're on the court. So frickin advanced.

How'd you get to be so belligerently dense? (That's not rhetorical -- I'm genuinely curious.)

[Revived]

Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Frye-Plumlee: 105.4 OffRtg
Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Kieff-Plumlee: 95.9 OffRtg

Thank god McD knows that advanced stats aren't the main thing that matters.

OffRtg is basically just points per possession (with the decimal place moved so its easier to interpret). Translation: it's how much they score. This unit scores a lot more than this unit when they're on the court. So frickin advanced.

How'd you get to be so belligerently dense? (That's not rhetorical -- I'm genuinely curious.)

Lol why don't you just go to the Magic board and explain how great Frye is to them. I know a majority of them was on sucide watch when they heard that they signed a 31 year old player who averaged 9 pts, 40% FG and 30% 3pt after the AS break to a 4 year $32 MILLION contract

It's time for you to become a Magic fan. I can link you to their board if you need it.

[gaspar]

Kieff is capable of shooting 3s he just prefers to be a man and use his size and play in the post instead of being a girl and camping out from the 3pt line chucking away.

Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Frye-Plumlee: 105.4 OffRtg
Bled-Dragic-Tucker-Kieff-Plumlee: 95.9 OffRtg

So maybe Kieff needs to just take his estrogen pills so he can make this team better.

This comparison is worthless. Sample size is way too small for the lineup with Markieff (54 minutes).

Another example:
Bledsoe-Green-Tucker-Markieff-Plumlee 113.7 OffRtg - 51 minutes

The Suns will be fine with Keef starting IMO.