Markieff Morris has passed Marcus Morris, and their paychecks will prove it.
Marcus was a slightly higher-rated recruit when the twins went to Kansas and was selected one pick before surprisingly after Markieff in the 2011 draft.
But Markieff has developed into a better NBA player, and that’s why he’ll make more when their contract extensions kick in after this season.
Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic:
Markieff Morris signed a four-year, $32M extension and Marcus Morris signed a four-year, $20M extension with the #Suns. More to come.
— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) September 29, 2014
The lesson: Win, and you’ll get paid.
Eric Bledsoe is reaping the rewards of Phoenix’s surprising 48-win season, and Channing Frye is getting paid well in Orlando. The Morris twins – even though word was they might take a discount – are cashing in, too.
Interestingly, Markieff is getting paid the same amount as Frye, whom Markieff is expected to replace in the starting lineup. On one hand, it seems the Suns are being overly reactionary to a season in which they might have caught opponents off guard. On the other hand, they’ve also shown a forward-looking strategy by letting Frye leave and elevating Markieff.
This will work well if Markieff is ready to challenge opposing starters the same way he outplayed reserves last season. Marcus is a solid backup being paid like a good backup, and if that seems like splitting hairs, it is.
These deals seem a little high to me, but with the salary cap projected to rise drastically the next few years, neither will burn Phoenix. Perhaps most importantly, the Suns ensure they keep two young players for a while.
And the twins will certainly be happy to share a team for a while longer.
