In an interview with Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Suns forward Markieff Morris said he won't play for the Suns this season.
"One thing for sure, I am not going to be there," Morris said Tuesday after a workout in suburban Philadelphia, which is where he's from.
"If you want to put that out there, you can put that out. I don't give a (expletive). I am not going to be there at all. That's just what it is."
Morris, who averaged 15.3 points last season, is about to begin the first season of what is considered a bargain-priced four-year, $32 million contract extension. The contract was a package deal with his twin brother Marcus, who signed for $20 million over the next four seasons.
But Marcus was traded to Detroit in the off-season as the Suns positioned themselves for an unsuccessful pursuit of free agent LaMarcus Aldridge, and Marcus has been unsparing in his criticism of the team's front office ever since.
Markieff had been silent on the subject until Tuesday's interview.
He didn't go so far as to say he would refuse to report for training camp in late September, but he made it clear that he wants out and expects it to happen.
"I've got to show up. No question," Morris said. "You can't do that. I will be a professional. Don't get me wrong.
"But it won't get that far. . . . I'm going to be out before then, should be."
Morris, the longest-tenured Sun (four years with the team), told Pompey he wasn't disgruntled because his brother was traded; instead, he felt he was disrespected because he wasn't notified in advance.
While his contract would seem to make him attractive trade target, he comes with some baggage that might alter the market. He was assessed 15 technical fouls last season, and at one point he was vocal in his criticism of Suns fans.
He and his brother are both in the midst of legal proceedings in Maricopa County Superior Court, charged with aggravated assault in connection with an incident outside a Phoenix recreation center in January. Both have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled for a Sept. 16 court appearance.
"It's just when you get to a point in your life, you just need to move on," Morris told Pompey. "That's what I need to do for my career, my family, myself. I just need to move on."
