Ty Jerome’s Suns stint was forgettable but his words aren’t.
Sometimes, a passing comment on a podcast might not seem significant. Words can slip, meanings can blur, and in the flow of conversation, intent can be lost. But even in the noise, there’s insight to be found. And perhaps, former Phoenix Suns guard Ty Jerome just provided some.
Remember him? The Suns selected him with the 24th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft after he helped lead Virginia to a national championship. He wasn’t an elite athlete, but his high basketball IQ and steady fundamentals made him an intriguing addition, one that seemed to align with James Jones’ vision for the team. Elie Okobo wasn’t cutting it, and Phoenix was desperate for a real point guard to pair with Devin Booker, who was blossoming.
That offseason, Jones finally addressed the need. He brought in Ricky Rubio, a true facilitator, and added Jerome, a player with the potential to develop into one. It marked a shift, one that suggested the Suns were no longer interested in scoring-first guards like Eric Bledsoe but were instead committed to finding a real distributor.
Unfortunately for Jerome, a high ankle sprain just days before the season opener derailed his rookie campaign before it even began. He didn’t make his debut until early December, a tough break for any first-year player trying to find his footing. He appeared in just 24 games, averaging 11.3 minutes, 3.8 points, and 1.6 assists while shooting 36% from the field, 28% from deep, and 79% from the line. Then, of course, COVID hit.
Before he even had a real chance to establish himself, he was shipped off to Oklahoma City in the trade that brought Chris Paul to Phoenix. A throw-in, a footnote in a blockbuster deal, and an afterthought for most Suns fans. His time in the Valley was brief, and for many, the story ended there.
Or does it?
On a recent episode of The Ryen Russillo Podcast from The Ringer, Jerome reflected on his time in Phoenix. One particular revelation stood out. He and head coach Monty Williams didn’t see eye to eye.
“I got hurt the day before the first game,” Jerome said on the podcast. “As a rookie, trying to come back and play catch up wasn’t easy. Dealing with all that and Monty Williams was a real old school coach and we didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye and that didn’t help.”
Ty Jerome on @ryenarussillo podcast said he and Monty Williams didn’t see eye to eye during his time in Phoenix. Huh. Seems to be a running theme during the Monty Era… pic.twitter.com/HfmG9O7N0X
— John Voita (@DarthVoita) March 11, 2025
As the conversation continued, Jerome praised the Oklahoma City Thunder for their professionalism, even while in tank mode. His words about Phoenix? Not so glowing.
Ty Jerome is now thriving in Cleveland, playing a crucial role for a team that boasts the best record in the NBA. He’s putting up 11.9 points per game off the bench while shooting a blistering 50/44/90, making a legitimate case for Sixth Man of the Year. Phoenix? That’s ancient history.
Sure, it might seem like a throwaway comment. No big deal, right? But the further we get from the Monty Williams era — one of the most successful in franchise history — the more we see cracks in the foundation we once believed was solid. For all the inspiring speeches and culture-building, Williams clearly had his share of locker room conflicts.
Jerome not seeing eye to eye with him isn’t shocking in isolation. But when you stack it alongside other stories of players who clashed with Monty, it starts to paint a different picture.
Deandre Ayton signed his massive extension, and Monty Williams wasn’t even there. As their relationship deteriorated, the Suns found themselves backed into a corner, ultimately forced to trade Ayton. Jae Crowder had his own issues with Williams, leading to the team telling him to stay home while they searched for a trade. These aren’t just isolated incidents. They’re pieces of a larger puzzle, one that suggests the Suns’ internal dynamics under Monty weren’t as steady as they once seemed.
Jerome’s statement wasn’t meant to ignite a firestorm. Instead, it reinforces long-standing issues within the Suns organization, peeling back the curtain on a reality that isn’t always as it seems. Relationship-building isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the foundation of a winning culture. And culture, more than talent alone, is what sustains success. Not just game to game. Not just season to season. But over time.
When conflicts keep surfacing — whether it was Monty Williams and Ty Jerome in 2020 or Mike Budenholzer and Jusuf Nurkic in 2025 — it begs a deeper question. At what point does the organization stop pointing fingers and start looking inward? Because while the Suns have had moments of triumph, sustained success has remained just out of reach. And that’s no coincidence.
Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox.
Please subscribe, rate, and review.