PHOENIX — Devin Booker and Kevin Durant were in Paris, competing for Team USA in the Olympics, when news broke that veteran point guard Tyus Jones would sign with the Phoenix Suns.
At Suns media day on Monday, Booker recalled how his Olympic teammates reacted in the locker room. Something along the lines of, “Man, how did y’all get that done?”
The first two seasons under Mat Ishbia’s ownership produced jaw-dropping transactions. In February 2023, the Suns traded for Durant in a blockbuster deal before the trade deadline. Four months later, they completed an offseason trade for Bradley Beal, among the top scorers in the Eastern Conference.
Phoenix’s summer signing of Jones to a one-year deal worth a little over $3 million did not create similar civic excitement, but it might have a bigger impact because the pass-first point guard is exactly what the Suns need. “We can say it how it is,” Booker said. “We got him for a steal.”
The championship talk has died down in the desert. That’s what happens after a disappointing season. With Booker, Durant and Beal in place, fans here thought the Suns last season had a chance to win the organization’s first title. Instead, the Suns battled injuries, struggled with chemistry and were swept in the postseason’s first round.
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This preseason already has a different feel. Mike Budenholzer replaced Frank Vogel as head coach (someone had to take the fall), but it goes beyond a leadership change. With practice set to start Tuesday, continuity has become a key organizational buzzword. Instead of trying to prove everyone right, chasing expectations like last season, this group may be more determined to prove everyone wrong, showing its championship window remains open. It’s a noteworthy development that requires a different mindset.
And point guard.
“I know we had a lot of talks last year about, ‘Does this team need a point guard,’” veteran guard Grayson Allen said. “And a lot of times, I was kind of the guy who thought no. But there’s not many guys out there like Tyus. Not a whole lot of point guards out there that play like Tyus. I really think he’s perfect for our team.”
Added Durant: “A guy who’s seen a lot in this league is always good.”
Ishbia likes how the Suns are positioned. It starts with Budenholzer, the Arizona native who led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 title, beating the Suns in the finals. Ishbia said the 55-year-old Budenholzer already has exceeded expectations. Asked specifically what this means, Ishbia said Budenholzer has taken ownership of every detail, from practice plans to where his office is located in the practice facility.
Responded Budenholzer with sarcasm: “Maybe we have better toothbrushes or … shampoo or something like that.”
“They’re gonna make my job really easy, and I plan on doing the same for them.”
🗣️ Tyus Jones on playing with Book, KD & Brad pic.twitter.com/3jcyQZZIJN
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) September 30, 2024
Center Jusuf Nurkić said Budenholzer has been in contact with players since he took the job in May. The veteran big man said he has found Budenholzer’s honesty refreshing, a coach telling him not what he wanted to hear but what he needed to hear. It’s not a coincidence that Nurkić spent his summer shooting 3s, something he did only in spurts last season.
Ball movement, defensive communication and 3-point shooting were media-day themes, especially the long-range shooting. With Booker and Durant thriving in the mid-range, Phoenix last season averaged 32.6 3-point attempts per game, which tied for 24th in the league. It often placed the Suns at a disadvantage, one they struggled to make up.
Allen, who led the league last season in 3-point accuracy, said he hopes the Suns can finish in the top five in 3-point attempts. He pointed out that would require Phoenix’s top six players to attempt about one extra 3-point attempt per game, which he said is not so far-fetched.
That’s where Jones comes in. Last season the Suns tried to survive without a pure point guard, leaning on Booker and Beal to initiate offense. Both guards were capable, but the situation was never ideal. Phoenix averaged 14.9 turnovers, which ranked near the bottom of the league. Worse, the Suns were disorganized in key moments. Beal played out of position. Durant looked frustrated.
To improve, the Suns realized they needed to maximize their “Big 3” while also reducing its load. Jones, who last season averaged 12 points and 7.3 assists with the Washington Wizards, looked like the perfect fit.
Since entering the league in 2015, he has excelled at offensive organization. He plays under control. He gets the ball to where it needs to go. And he was available. Ishbia said at first the Phoenix front office — with Booker, Durant and Beal locked in for $150 million combined — thought it had no chance to sign Jones. But once conversations started, those chances increased. First to 10 percent. Then 20. Jones talked with Booker, Durant, Beal and Allen, his college teammate at Duke.
“I want to win,” said Jones, who made $14 million last season with Washington and could be eligible for a bigger payday next season. “I want to contend for a championship. Obviously, the roster that was in place prior to me coming here was enticing. Just getting a chance to play with so many great players. And, also, the role … just how they envision myself being able to step in and continue to set the table and have an impact on winning. Ultimately, that’s what I wanted to have.”
As the Suns learned last season, nothing is guaranteed. Health will be a factor. Defense remains a concern. And chemistry always looks better at this time of year than it does in December. Budenholzer knows this as well as anyone.
“It’s all talk at this stage,” he said. “I’m just like any other coach. I’m trying to get my team ready for practice tomorrow, get ready for games and be the best we can.”
(Top photo of Tyus Jones at Monday’s media day: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
