The Bottom Line - Due diligence is key at trade deadline

BOBBY MARKS: The toughest questions teams will ask themselves leading up to the trade deadline will have nothing to do with points per game or how many blocked shots a player averaged. In the next week, teams will rely heavily on their background reports during the trade process. Let's look at talented Suns forward Markieff Morris for example. His pending felony charge will have interested parties relying on their security team and their network of resources. Teams should know their locker room. Is there stability to handle a strong personality, especially if you're making a playoff push? Is a player like Morris worth the risk? Surprisingly, the towel throwing incident with Jeff Hornacek did not rub teams the wrong way. However, the way Markieff handled himself when his brother was traded to Detroit raised a major concern. Teams have studied the relationship between Piston management and his brother Marcus. Since traded last July, Marcus has handled himself in a professional manner while also posting career highs in minutes and points. Ultimately, for teams interested in Markieff Morris, having locker room leadership and a strong structure from top to bottom is the most important.