Tyus Jones

Western Notes: T. Jones, Schröder, Lyles, Thybulle

December 18th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Spurs point guard Tre Jones has been cleared to return to action on Thursday vs. Atlanta after missing the team’s previous six games due to a left shoulder sprain, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). Having also been sidelined for 12 games earlier this season with an ankle injury, Jones admitted it has been a challenging fall.

“I’ve never sat out this much in this season before, so it’s definitely been tough,” Jones said. “But the guys have kept my spirits up. My family at home have kept my spirits up.”

Jones isn’t the only Spurs regular who has battled injuries this season. Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Victor Wembanyama, Keldon Johnson, and Zach Collins have all missed multiple games. Assuming San Antonio has better health luck going forward, Jones is optimistic about the team’s rest-of-season outlook.

“We feel like we’re in a great position right now,” Jones said. “We haven’t been necessarily healthy this year either yet, so hopefully we can maintain our health moving forward and we can continue to build. We’ve been throwing out a lot of different lineups and that can work to your advantage when guys are knowing that their name is going to be called. But, at the same time, we want to be able to kind of settle into our roles and what we expected coming into the season and be healthy.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Dennis Schröder and Draymond Green have had their share of on-court battles in the past, including in Game 6 of the second-round 2023 playoff series when they were hit with double technicals before Schröder’s Lakers eliminated Green’s Warriors (Twitter video link). But there’s no bad blood between them — in fact, playing with Green is one thing Schröder is looking forward to most as he prepares for his Warriors debut, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I feel really, really excited playing with Draymond,” Schröder said. “Like you guys seen, we were going at it. I knew him before. People were saying, ‘How’s it going to work?’ But we got a good relationship, even before that.”
Kings forward Trey Lyles is confident he’ll be cleared to return on Thursday vs. the Lakers, according to Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter video link). Lyles has been on the shelf since November 25 due to a right calf strain.
Before he scored 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting vs. Portland on Sunday, Suns point guard Tyus Jones earned praise from Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, who referred to the situation in Phoenix as “tailor-made” for the veteran guard, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “He’s a big shot-maker when put in those positions, but he knows who he is, more than anything,” Billups said. “He knows who he’s playing with, and that’s what they needed. He’s also a very scrappy defender. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for that, but a lot of teams attack him and go after him, and you got a fight on your hands when you do that. I’m proud and happy for Ty and (the Suns) did it right when they got him.”
Billups provided a minor injury update on Matisse Thybulle on Tuesday, indicating that the injured Trail Blazers forward is doing stand-still shooting on the court but isn’t cleared for contact yet, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Thybulle’s season debut was delayed due to a right knee issue and he subsequently sprained his right ankle during the rehab process.

Pacific Notes: Suns, Jones, DeRozan, Hield, Clippers

October 31st, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns didn’t have a traditional point guard in their starting lineup for most of the 2023/24 season, deploying shooting guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beal as their primary ball-handlers. While Booker tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPN that “we were willing to learn and do it,” Beal admits the adjustment to the new role wasn’t a smooth one.

“They were using me more as a facilitator than a scorer and honestly, that kind of f—ed with my head,” Beal told ESPN. “Literally this whole summer, I had just had a whole reflection, just like, ‘Who are you?’ I had to have a real talk with myself, you know. I took some time to look at myself in the mirror to answer: ‘What do I need to do better? Who am I?’ And then just get back to that.”

Recognizing that a more traditional point guard would help maximize the offensive abilities of the Suns’ stars, the front office entered free agency this summer looking to address the position using its limited resources. Phoenix was able to land Monte Morris on a minimum-salary contract, then improbably signed Tyus Jones to a similar deal.

As Shelburne writes, Jones received interest from teams like the Wizards, Pistons, Spurs, and Nets, and could have signed for $8-12MM per year if he had been willing to join a lottery-bound club. Faced with a decision on whether to go for the money or to take a discount to join a contender and revisit free agency in 2025, Jones opted for the latter route after San Antonio signed Chris Paul.

Through four games with the Suns, Jones has been his usual efficient self, running the offense, knocking down three-pointers, and taking care of the ball. He has made 37.5% of his outside shots and has compiled 24 assists to just three turnovers.

“Tyus makes our life so much easier,” Beal told Shelburne. “I have a lot more weight off my shoulders. We can just go do what everybody knows us for.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

DeMar DeRozan‘s ability to get to the free throw line and make his foul shots has helped make an already-dangerous Kings offense even better, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento finished dead last in the NBA last season with a 74.5% free throw percentage, but ranks second so far this season at 82.8%. DeRozan is 26-of-31 (83.9%) from the line through four games.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy, whose team fell to the new-look Kings on Tuesday, said his first thought was “oh no” when he learned Sacramento had acquired DeRozan this past offseason, according to Anderson. “That’s a whole different thing to have to prepare for,” Hardy said. “(De’Aaron) Fox, (Domantas) Sabonis (and) the up-tempo style was already enough of a problem to gameplan for and prep your team for. … It’s like pitching in baseball. You can’t throw a fastball every pitch. I think having that change of pace with DeMar, a change in style, is going to be beneficial for them as they go throughout the season.”
Buddy Hield, who joined the Warriors on a four-year, $37.8MM contract this offseason, has given his new team exactly what it was looking for from him, says Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Hield leads the NBA with 24 made three-pointers and has knocked down 50% of his attempts in his first five games. “He knows what he does well,” Brandin Podziemski said prior to Wednesday’s win in New Orleans. “Obviously, he’s shown that for the first four games. He knows what’s made him a bunch of money in this league and has helped him win.”
The San Diego Clippers’ roster for training camp includes a handful of players with NBA experience, with forward Braxton Key, forward Tosan Evbuomwan, and guard Nate Darling among those in camp with the Clippers‘ G League affiliate.

Suns Notes: Allen, Jones, Nurkic, Dunn, Plumlee

October 5th, 2024 at 6:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Grayson Allen worked behind the scenes to bring Tyus Jones to Phoenix, even though Jones is likely to take his spot in the starting lineup, writes Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Many were surprised that the Suns were able to land a starting-level point guard when they were limited to a minimum-salary offer, but Allen has a strong connection with his former teammate at Duke.

“He played a huge role in recruiting me here,” Jones said. “He said, ‘Don’t worry about me starting. I know we need you to come here and be the starting point guard. That’s what we’re missing.'”

Allen is coming off his best NBA season, averaging 13.5 PPG in his first year with the Suns and leading the league in three-point shooting at 46.1%. Phoenix tried to get by without a traditional lead guard last season, and Allen gradually realized that the approach wasn’t working.

“Looking at Tyus being a starter, I just feel like our team got a lot better,” he said. “I couldn’t be more excited to have him on our team and I’m OK with what comes with that.”

There’s more from Phoenix:

Starting center Jusuf Nurkic will be reevaluated in a week after injuring his left middle finger in a scrimmage, Rankin tweets. Nurkic will miss Sunday’s preseason opener against the Lakers, along with Tuesday’s game against the Pistons and Friday’s rematch with Detroit.
First-round pick Ryan Dunn is a perfect addition for a team that needed big wings who can play defense, notes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. The 6’8″ Dunn used his 7’1″ wingspan to become a defensive terror for Virginia over the last two seasons. He wants to become the Suns’ primary lockdown defender and has welcomed the challenge of facing Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in practice. “Going up against them day by day, I’ll probably get torched a little bit there and there, but it’s just how it is,” Dunn said. “I’m ready for that, my ups and downs, but it’ll help me get ready, especially with those guys, learning from them and having to take that into going against different players in the league.”
Veteran center Mason Plumlee is thrilled about teaming up with Durant after signing a one-year deal with the Suns in free agency (video link from Bourguet). “Sometimes when you play against a guy, you just wonder, like, ‘Is he just hitting those shots tonight?'” Plumlee said. “And from preseason pickup as much as training camp, it’s like, he hits ’em all the time.”

Suns Notes: Budenholzer, Defense, Jones, Nurkic, Lee

October 1st, 2024 at 9:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mike Budenholzer was hired as head coach of the Suns in part to shore up a defense that allowed too many easy baskets and ranked in the bottom 10 in turnovers forced. Overall, Phoenix ranked 13th in defensive rating last season.

That’s exactly what the Suns focused on during the first two days of camp, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes.

“Establish a defensive identity,” Budenholzer said. “Establish how important being great defensively is. We’ve had a great month of September with open gym, but understandably, it’s mostly offense and just hooping and playing. (Tuesday) was a lot more of a defensive emphasis and putting in our basic, whether it’s our shell defense. Pick-and-roll defense, transition defense.”

We have more on the Suns:

Both Rankin and Gerard Bourguet of GoPHNX.com shared the biggest takeaways from Monday’s media day. Among the topics that Rankin highlighted was Phoenix’s belief it got a huge free agent bargain with the addition of Tyus Jones. “We can say how it is, we got him for a steal,” Devin Booker said. “I remember the news being broke while we were at USA (Basketball), all the guys in the locker room where like, ‘Man, how did y’all get that done?’” Bourguet noted that big man Jusuf Nurkic and his teammates will be seeking out more 3-point attempts.
Speaking of Jones, The Athletic’s Doug Haller explores how the veteran point guard will impact the offense. The Suns tried to win without a pure point guard last season and it didn’t work despite the efforts of Booker and Bradley Beal. Phoenix averaged 14.9 turnovers per game and looked disorganized during key moments. Jones’ knack for playing under control and getting the ball in the right spots should change all that.
Damion Lee was re-signed on a one-year deal despite missing last season due to a meniscus tear in his right knee. Lee told Bourguet (Twitter links) why his recovery took so long. “It’s been a journey. Oct. 10 will be a year out of surgery, and like I explained before, I initially went in for a regular meniscus injury. Come to find out it was a root tear, then come to find out both roots were off,” Lee explained. The injury wore on him mentally, too. He fought depression and sought out therapy. “I’ve been through ‘it,’ and I’m still standing tall. That’s perseverance, that’s resilience, that’s faith,” Lee said.

Pacific Notes: Jones, Suns, Kaminsky, Kawhi, Porter, Lakers

September 27th, 2024 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Although he had made 94 starts across eight NBA seasons prior to 2023/24, last season was Tyus Jones‘ first as a full-timer in that role — he started all 66 games he played for the Wizards. That sample size is good enough for new Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer, who tells Steve Aschburner of NBA.com that Jones has “established himself as a great starting point guard in our league” and that the plan is for the veteran to be in Phoenix’s starting five to open the 2024/25 season.

“When you put him out there with Kevin (Durant), Brad (Beal), Book (Devin Booker) and Nurk (Jusuf Nurkic), we feel like we’ve got a strong starting five,” Budenholzer said, confirming what he expects his initial starting group to look like. “And a really strong bench behind them.

“Tyus can help us play faster. He’s great with the kick-aheads, he’s great with getting teammates involved in transition. But then also in the half-court. He’s a guy who has always been a high assists guy, low turnovers. He can get us organized. Everyone talks about how much talent we have. Hopefully he can put them in positions to be their best.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Frank Kaminsky‘s new non-guaranteed deal with the Suns offers him no assurances for the regular season, but he’s still excited to be back with the organization after having worked out at the team’s practice facility in recent weeks, he tells Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. “I love it here,” the veteran big man said. “There’s no other way I can describe it. There’s just such a level of love and comfort that I have living here, being here. I’ve built a nice community here, have great friends — everything here is set up well for me. And that’s why when the camp deal started getting talked about, it’s the one I wanted, just because I love being here.”
This week’s revelation that Kawhi Leonard underwent another knee procedure in the offseason and will be limited in training camp is an ominous one for the Clippers, but president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank attempted to downplay concerns about the star forward’s status, writes Anthony De Leon of The Los Angeles Times. “It’s almost gone,” Frank said of the swelling in Leonard’s knee. “He wants to participate in everything during training camp, but we’re going to hold him back from drill work and really focus on strengthening.” The goal, Frank added, is “to get him to 100% so he can have a great season, not just this year, but for many years.”
New Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. will be allowed to take part in team activities during training camp while the NBA continues to investigate the domestic incident that occurred last September, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic. Porter reached a plea agreement of a third-degree reckless assault misdemeanor in January, but wasn’t in the NBA at that time and may still face a suspension from the league.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reads between the lines of Rob Pelinka‘s and JJ Redick‘s comments to reporters at the Lakers‘ pre-camp press conference on Wednesday, sharing 10 observations about what the team’s head of basketball operations and new head coach had to say.

Atlantic Notes: Yabusele, T. Jones, Randle, Brown

August 19th, 2024 at 11:05am CST by Arthur Hill

The roughly $2MM salary that Guerschon Yabusele will receive from the Sixers is less than his $2.5MM buyout with Real Madrid, but there’s another important financial consideration behind his decision to return to the NBA, according to BasketNews. Yabusele played two seasons with Boston after being selected with the 16th pick in the 2016 draft. Appearing in just one game this season will give him three years of NBA service, which makes him eligible for a pension and other benefits.

Under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, eligible players receive $1,001.47 per month for each year they spent in the league, up to a maximum of 10 years. If he leaves the NBA after his third season, Yabusele will begin receiving $36,052.92 each year after his 62nd birthday. Life insurance, disability insurance and dental, vision, and prescription drug insurance are also available for players who qualify.

It’s also unlikely that Yabusele will face financial hardship due to his buyout, BasketNews adds. NBA rules allow the Sixers to contribute $850K of that amount, and it has become common for teams to let players pay off the rest in installments, as Gabriel Deck and Facundo Campazzo recently did when they left their teams.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Before signing with the Suns, Tyus Jones considered an offer from the Knicks worth about $10MM over two years, Ian Begley of SNY states in a mailbag column. Begley hears that Jones received at least one other offer that was significantly higher, and there were also sign-and-trade scenarios and the option to re-sign with Washington that would have paid him more than the minimum deal he accepted from Phoenix. However, Jones wanted to be starter on a contending team, and no one else in the market was able to offer him that chance.
Neither the Knicks nor Julius Randle appear to be in a hurry to reach an extension, Begley adds in the same piece. Randle became eligible for a new deal on August 3, but the two sides have until June 30 to hammer out an agreement. Begley notes that Randle is excited about the changes the team made this summer, specifically the addition of Mikal Bridges, and he’s looking forward to returning healthy for the start of camp.
On his social media account, Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown shared photos of intense underwater workouts over the weekend, relays Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston.

Suns CEO Bartelstein Talks Durant, Jones, Budenholzer, More

August 15th, 2024 at 8:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked during an extensive interview with PHNX Sports about Kevin Durant‘s future with the Suns, team CEO Josh Bartelstein reiterated the same message that he delivered to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic two weeks ago. While Bartelstein offered no guarantees that Durant will sign a contract extension before the season begins, he stressed that the relationship between the franchise and its star forward is in a very good place.

“He loves it here. We talk to Rich Kleiman, who’s his partner, all the time about the vision and what we’re building, and everyone’s really happy, and I think we’re gonna have a really really good year,” Bartelstein said. “And Kevin’s part of all the discussions about the vision for the team, all the stuff we’re doing on the court, off the court. So the fact that we have all that dialogue, there’s equity built into it. If you do those things, everything else will take care of itself.”

Bartelstein’s conversation with PHNX Sports covered a wide range of additional topics, including his day-to-day duties for the organization, his expectations for the Suns’ new G League affiliate, navigating the second apron, and much more.

The interview is worth checking out in full, especially for Suns fans, but here are a few of Bartelstein’s most noteworthy comments:

On unexpectedly landing Tyus Jones on a minimum-salary deal late in free agency:

“We pulled it out of the back pocket. I think it’s why relationships matter so much. His agent, Kevin Bradbury, and I are friendly, and there’s a balance of just checking in and knowing what’s going on. And (Suns general manager) James (Jones) and I would talk all the time about, ‘Hey, if we could get Tyus, it would be a home run.’ But the first 10 days of free agency, you’re kind of just sitting there and seeing how the market plays out. I think with the new rules and, like, the cap space, a lot of people got squeezed.

“So our first real meeting with Tyus and his agent Kevin was in Vegas during Summer League, and we had a nice drink and kind of talked about the role and vision, how it could be a perfect fit, but also just that they were gonna take their time and see how things played out. And from there, then we said, like, ‘Let’s go all in and recruit him, and the worst thing they can do is say no to us.’ But we went all in on recruiting him, from little gift bags to videos for their kids, to all the small details and showing the care factor.

“… Obviously if someone offers you way more money, like, that matters. But if it’s close or it’s on the margins, we think the community we have here, the relationships we have here, the concierge service we have here, we can really give ourselves an advantage, and it’s worked in getting some of these guys to pick us.”

On the impact he expects new head coach Mike Budenholzer to have on the team:

“He is awesome. I mean, he’s the real deal. We’ve become very, very close over the three months. It’s crazy it’s been that fast. He’s so detail-oriented. He thinks Phoenix Suns all day, every day, from the biggest things of where is Kevin gonna get the ball to the smallest things of how do we maximize our two-way guys’ days? Like, he’s just always thinking Suns basketball, and he’s a basketball savant. The way he uses players, the success he’s had, the wins, you’re talking about one of the best coaches in the NBA.

“And he’s a great person too. I think he’ll be great in the community. He’s so happy to be here that he can’t wait to get started. So just seeing how he thinks has been cool, about the things he values, how we want to play. We’ve had so many discussions. He was a huge part of the recruiting. I mean, Tyus Jones said it, Bud was a big part of why Tyus picked here. How Bud has gotten players paid, how Bud uses guys, how he optimizes them, so all of our free agents, all of our guys, Bud has a say in it, ’cause he’s the head coach and we’re really, really lucky to have him.”

On why the Suns are excited about 2024 draftees Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro:

“As good of a basketball player as (Dunn) is, he’s an amazing person. Like, he’s a really, really good young man, and he works his tail off. He’s always, always in the gym. And I think for us, that athleticism, size, defensive versatility — that’s what we need, right? Like, if you checked the box of what we’re missing, it’s him. It’s a lot to ask him to go play 20 minutes a game in year one, but we’re gonna develop him. He’ll have a lot of opportunities to play.

“And Oso is someone that came here twice to work out and we loved him. His passing, his play-making, incredibly high IQ. He’s today’s NBA big, and I think with Nurk (Jusuf Nurkic) and Mason (Plumlee), he’ll learn a ton too, ’cause they have a similar archetype player-wise.”

Pacific Notes: Jones, Durant, Podziemski, Christie

August 2nd, 2024 at 4:15pm CST by Luke Adams

While Tyus Jones surely expected to sign for more than the veteran’s minimum when he first reached free agency on July 1, he’s thrilled about his new opportunity in Phoenix despite settling for a one-year, $3MM deal. As Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic writes, Jones raved during his introductory media session this week about what he views as an ideal fit with the Suns.

“I’m excited. I’m ready for the opportunity, ready to seize it, but for me, again, going back to the fit. I felt like the fit was perfect,” Jones said. “I’m ready for the season to be here already. I know we got some time, but I just want to hoop. I want to get out there with the guys, build our camaraderie, build our chemistry and ultimately compete for a championship. That’s our end goal.”

Jones told reporters that the Suns did a “great job” recruiting him and that the strength of the roster helped convince him to sign in Phoenix. He’s looking forward to serving as a facilitator within a high-powered offense led by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.

“Just trying to make their job easy,” Jones said of his role. “Last year, I know Book, Brad had to do a lot of playing the one, kind of facilitating, orchestrating the offense. The fact that they can do that, but what they really do is put the ball in the basket and so I know it’s going to be up to me to put them in the right spots. Put KD in the right spots, put Book in the right spots, put Brad in the right spot, everybody.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

It’s unclear if Durant will receive the one-year, $59.7MM extension he’s eligible for before the regular season begins, but Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein tells Rankin that the relationship between the star forward and the organization is in a great place. “The most important thing is Kevin loves being here and we love having Kevin here,” Bartelstein said. “… I talk to (Durant’s manager) Rich Kleiman, who works with Kevin, all the time. Conversations are great not just on extension stuff, but on all things that have been going on.”
Appearing on The Dinner Table podcast, Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski made it clear he’s not bothered by the fact that his name has popped up in trade rumors this summer. In fact, he thinks it’s “fun” to see the discourse on whether or not he should be included in an offer for Jazz star Lauri Markkanen, as Will Simonds of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “No one likes to admit it, but everybody sees … the good and the bad,” Podziemski said. “For me, I think the bad can just be used as motivation. Obviously, my name has been in the Markkanen trade a lot, so if the trade doesn’t go through and I’m still here, to have a good second year and be like, ‘Good thing we didn’t trade him,’ would be cool for me.”
The Lakers are counting on third-year guard Max Christie to become a more significant part of their rotation as he begins a new four-year, $32MM contract, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. In particular, Christie expects to match up on defense with opponents’ top wing or backcourt scorers and has been working this offseason on building up his stamina in preparation for those assignments. “When you’re guarding the best player, all the actions are being run for him,” Christie said. “You’re running through screens, so that’s tiring. It’s hard. And then, especially if you’re chasing shooters … it’s fatiguing. … I want to keep growing my game, obviously defensively, looking ahead to next season.”

Tyus Jones Signs With Suns

July 29th, 2024 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 29: Jones’ deal with the Suns is official, according to NBA.com’s transaction log.

JULY 27: Free agent point guard Tyus Jones has agreed to sign with the Suns, agent Kevin Bradbury tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. According to Wojnarowski, Jones will sign a one-year, minimum-salary contract.

Jones confirmed his decision in a statement to ESPN, as Wojnarowski relays (via Twitter).

“The chance to play for the Phoenix Suns made the most sense on a lot of levels to me and my family – beginning with the way (Suns owner) Mat Ishbia and the front office recruited me to how coach (Mike Budenholzer) showed me how I can significantly impact a team that has a real opportunity to challenge for an NBA title as their starting point guard,” Jones said.

“My agent (Bradbury) walked me and my family through multiple free agent offers and sign-and-trade proposals at a number of different financial levels but the Suns’ opportunity is where I can best maximize my value for a return to free agency next year as well as give myself a chance to be part of what I think will be a special team and season.”

A nine-year veteran, Jones was long considered one of the NBA’s top backup point guards while playing in Minnesota and Memphis. He got the chance with the Wizards in 2023/24 to become a full-time starter and made good on that opportunity by establishing new career highs in field goal percentage (48.9%), three-point percentage (41.4%), points per game (12.0), and assists per game (7.3) while continuing to take excellent care of the ball (he has never averaged more than 1.0 turnover per game).

We ranked Jones 15th overall on our list of top 50 free agents entering the offseason, but it quickly became clear that there wouldn’t be an opportunity for him to be the starting point guard on a contending team while earning a salary in the neighborhood of the $14MM he made last year in D.C.

Jones’ statement to Wojnarowski, which mentions that he expects to start in Phoenix, suggests that he’ll at least meet two of those three criteria. While he’s accepting a major pay cut, he’s in position to play a significant role on a team that has championship aspirations.

The Suns’ three stars – Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal – are all relatively ball-dominant, but none of them are true point guards, so the team entered the offseason seeking a veteran who could organize the offense. Prior to signing Jones, Phoenix – which could only offer minimum-salary contracts while operating above the second tax apron – also added point guard Monte Morris on a one-year deal.

Jones will earn $3,003,427 on his minimum-salary contract, while the Suns will carry a cap hit of $2,087,519. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, who confirmed earlier today that the Suns were eyeing Jones, tweets that the 28-year-old chose Phoenix over the Hawks and Grizzlies.

The expectation is that, after trading David Roddy for E.J. Liddell, the Suns will waive Liddell in order to create room on the projected 15-man roster for Jones. As Bobby Marks of ESPN points out (via Twitter), Phoenix is saving about $727K in the Roddy/Liddell swap and would remove another $1.41MM from its cap if Liddell is waived using the stretch provision.

Those two moves would essentially cancel out the impact of Jones’ deal on the Suns’ 2024/25 cap, providing crucial savings for a team whose salary is so far over the luxury tax line.

Tyus Jones Expected To Start At Point Guard For Suns

July 28th, 2024 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Tyus Jones is expected to take over as the Suns‘ starting point guard after reaching an agreement with the team on Saturday, writes Kellan Olson of Arizona Sports.

Jones will earn $3MM on a one-year, minimum-salary contract, opting to take less money for the chance to play for a contender. In a statement to ESPN on Saturday, he indicated that he expects to start in Phoenix.

In the same story, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports hears that Grayson Allen will likely be moved to a bench role to open up a starting spot for Jones. Allen was the NBA’s top three-point shooter last season, connecting at 46.1% on 5.9 attempts per game.

Jones, who has led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio for the past five seasons, will bring a steadying presence to a Phoenix team that played without a true point guard last season. He’ll take some of the ball-handling duties away from Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, allowing them to focus on their traditional roles on offense.

The Suns also signed Monte Morris this summer and added Collin Gillespie on a two-way deal, giving new head coach Mike Budenholzer plenty of depth at point guard.

Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic examines Phoenix’s options in the wake of the signing, noting that a team with Jones, Beal and Booker in the starting lineup would have issues with both size and defense. That’s a greater concern because Jusuf Nurkic isn’t really a shot blocker in the middle, Rankin states, and Durant would be counted on to be the best defender on the starting unit at age 36.

Rankin suggests that another option is to start Royce O’Neale, who excels as a perimeter defender, but that would likely mean bringing Beal off the bench. Beal could provide instant offense in a sixth-man role, but it might be hard to sell him on it since he’s making $50MM this season and has been a starter throughout his career.

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