(The Sports Xchange) – The Phoenix Suns suspended disgruntled forward Markieff Morris for two games for conduct detrimental to the team, the club announced Thursday.
Morris was disciplined for throwing a towel at coach Jeff Hornacek during Wednesday’s game, according to published reports.
Morris has been unhappy with the Suns since they traded twin brother Marcus to the Detroit Pistons during the summer. He recently lost his starting job and has fallen out of favor with Hornacek.
He played only 12 minutes in Wednesday’s 104-96 home loss to the Denver Nuggets. When pulled in the fourth quarter, Morris expressed his displeasure and tossed the towel at Hornacek. Morris will miss games against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday and Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.
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Point guard Ish Smith is headed back to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 76ers reacquired Smith in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans for two second-round draft picks. In a corresponding move, guard Tony Wroten was waived.
Smith played in 27 games for the Pelicans this season and averaged 8.9 points, 5.7 assists and fewer than two turnovers. He ranks fifth in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.42-to-1) and sixth in assists per 48 minutes (12.0).
Smith is the only player in the league who has at least 150 assists and 45 or fewer turnovers. During the 2014-15 season, Smith saw action in 25 games for the Sixers and started 14, averaging 12 points, six assists, three rebounds and one steal.
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The Memphis Grizzlies recalled forwards James Ennis and Jarell Martin and guard Russ Smith from Iowa Energy of the D-League.
Ennis is averaging 1.4 points in eight NBA games with the Grizzlies and Miami Heat this season. Martin played one game with the Grizzlies and saw three minutes of playing time, and Smith averaged 1.6 points in 14 games with Memphis.