No doubt about it, the Phoenix Suns managing to steal Tyus Jones will go down as one of the deals of the summer. A point guard who started all 66 games he played for the Washington Wizards last season – putting up 12 points and over seven assists each night – being signed to a minimum contract.
If there was one area the organization was seriously lacking last season, it was at the point guard position. Not only has the front office worked hard to remedy this situation during the offseason, they’ve arguably gone too far in the other direction.
As if to make this situation more tricky, Jones’ comments about his role could create tension.
That’s because in his press release after signing with the Suns, Jones mentioned that “I can significantly impact a team that has a real opportunity to challenge for an NBA title as their starting point guard”. Positive as all of that sounds – and again the importance of getting a guy like Jones cannot be overstated – it creates some problems if he thinks he’s going to start in Phoenix.
You could argue that this doesn’t matter anyway, that closing out games is what’s most important. That might be true, but that in itself also creates another problem that we also need to address. Starting first with the stance Jones has taken publically that he thinks he’s going to start, and who is going to make way for him to do so?
Can you convince Bradley Beal – making $50 million next season – to come off the bench? The optics of that don’t look great, barely a year removed from trading for him. If not Beal then the only other option is Grayson Allen. You know, the guy who lead the league in 3-point shooting at 46.1 percent last season.
Allen’s defensive abilities at this point are underrated, and he also inked a new four-year, $70 million deal prior to the playoffs starting. Even if the Suns see him as their best trade asset – which at this point he clearly is – bringing him off the bench is only going to lower his value, which right now is at its highest since he entered the league.
