Kevin Garnett said on his “KG Certified” podcast (explicit language warning) that the Phoenix Suns need a traditional point guard to start which would allow Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to play more consistently off-the-ball.
“They need a point guard, bro,” Garnett said. “That’s why that (expletive) looked like that, bro. They need a real point guard. Bradley Beal, let’s keep this real. Bradley Beal is a two. Booker is a two. Guess what they want to do? They want to score the ball, bro. I don’t want Booker coming down consolidating, I need that (expletive) cooking!”
Garnett suggested Washington Wizards point guard Tyus Jones could be the player who could fill that void for the Suns.
“You know who Phoenix need to go get? [Tyus] Jones. … he is prolific when it comes to being effective and taking care of the ball. He does not turn the ball over, bro.”
Jones has led the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio for the previous five consecutive seasons. Phoenix currently ranks 24th in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio.
In 37 games for the Wizards, Jones is averaging 12.6 points, 5.5 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 0.9 turnovers. He is also shooting 52.6% from the field and 43.1% from beyond the arc.
The 27-year-old from Duke is earning $14 million in the final year of his deal with the Wizards. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 8.
On Thursday, TNT’s Chris Haynes reported the Suns would rather add an “athletic wing” than a point guard. The Suns would have to get creative packaging the limited draft capital they do own. Phoenix doesn’t have control of its own first round selection until 2031 due to pick swaps.
“And then when you think about Memphis, when they was playing without Ja, bro, he was the head of that,” Garnett continued.
Last season with the Grizzlies, Jones averaged 10.3 points, 5.2 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 turnovers before the Grizzlies traded Jones to the Wizards in June as part of a three-team deal that sent Kristaps Porziņģis to the Boston Celtics and Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies.
