The addition of Tyus Jones could have a larger impact than most would think on the surface.
Welcome to the 2024-25 Phoenix Suns Season Preview series, where we embark on a comprehensive journey through the roster. In this series, we’ll break down individual player previews, offering a detailed look at each member of the Suns’ lineup. We’ll recap their performance from last season, highlighting key moments and areas of growth, and analyze how their skills, experience, and roles will contribute to the team’s championship aspirations.
Whether it’s the seasoned veterans or the rising stars, each player has a unique role in what could be a defining season for the franchise. Join us as we explore the potential and challenges that lie ahead for the Suns in their pursuit of basketball glory.
Tyus Jones
Point Guard, 6’1”, 196 lbs., 28 years old, 9 years of NBA Experience
Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images
2023-24 Recap
Tyus Jones, the 24th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft out of Duke, appeared in 66 games for the Washington Wizards in the 2023-24 season.
After back-to-back top 12 finishes in the 6th Man of the Year voting in Memphis, he was dealt to the Wizards last June.
Here were the terms of the trade, per Adrian Wojnarowski:
- Wizards get: Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, No. 35 pick in the 2023 Draft
- Celtics get: Kristaps Porzingis, No. 25 pick in the 2023 draft, and a 2024 first-round pick
- Grizzlies get: Marcus Smart
Stats
During his first season with the Wizards, he averaged 12.0 points, 7.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds 1.1 steals in 29.3 minutes per game on a 49/41/80 shooting split.
The Wizards won just 15 games last season at 15-67, with Tyus recording an 11-55 record (16.7 winning percent) in the 66 games he played in.
His record in his previous two seasons in Memphis (in games he played in):
- 2021-22: 51-22 (.699)
- 2022-23: 51-29 (.638)
Despite being as efficient as ever, he was on such a bad team that he became a bit of an afterthought. It happens when you end up in bad situations.
He posted a career-best 57.8 TS% on the season, and 485 assists to just 66 turnovers.
Contract Details
Tyus Jones signed a 1 year, $3,003,427 contract with the Phoenix Suns — all of it guaranteed. It was quite the bargain for a player that was expected to fetch a lot more on the open market.
Tyus Jones to ESPN on his decision to sign with the Suns pic.twitter.com/9IYGsvnG7R
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 27, 2024
This is the part where having Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and most importantly, an owner willing to spend comes into play. Phoenix put themselves in a position to strike on a situation like this if it arose, and it sure did.
“Phoenix Suns PG Tyus Jones is taking one of the NBA’s biggest drops in pay from last season to 2024-25, according to HoopsHype.
The basketball website ranked the NBA’s largest gaps in pay between last year and the upcoming campaign, and Jones’ $10.6 million pay cut to sign with Phoenix as a free agent landed him at No. 9 on the list after his salary went from $14 million to $3.3 million.
“As was the case for Trent Jr, things didn’t go as expected for Tyus Jones in free agency, who had to settle for a minimum contract with the Phoenix Suns after putting up a career year in scoring, assists, rebounds, field goal percentage and three-point shooting in Washington. That had to sting,” wrote HoopsHype.”
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
We’ll start with his strengths. The guy does not like turning the basketball over. He is one of the best ever at protecting the ball.
That is not an exaggeration either, he is actually one of the best EVER. Six consecutive seasons at the top of the league in that regard. Quite the feat from the standout floor general.
He and newcomer Monte Morris are going to be a breath of fresh air for Suns fans.
Elite Playmaker.
When it comes to AST/TO ratio, no one is more efficient than @1Tyus! pic.twitter.com/iU11tyleGM
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) August 1, 2024
He does the little things well, too. Along with the quick decision-making, he is an excellent cutter, throws lobs well, and has a nice float game.
He is a knockdown shooter who can space the floor with the best of them. The efficiency we talked about in the beginning of this piece highlights that. He will take care of the ball and hit open shots while putting teammates in position to succeed. That is the recipe of winning basketball.
His job is to put his teammates in the right spots, and he does it well.
Weaknesses
His weakness is typical for nearly every point guard in the association. He is small. He will be hunted by offenses on the defensive end, there is no doubt about it. Those defensive limitations are a concern come playoff time that the Suns will need to address.
That said, he is a capable team defender and has quick hands. The anticipation in the passing lane stands out. Here’s him picking the point-guard-less Suns apart last season.
These are the types of careless turnovers that have killed Phoenix all season.
Six easy points for Washington generated by Tyus Jones courtesy of the Suns. pic.twitter.com/8ASN7IG1PW
— Zona (@AZSportsZone) December 19, 2023
The main question is how bad will the defense be? I don’t think he is as bad as some make him out to be, but given the Suns’ own defensive weaknesses, he could stand out even more so. Given everything else he brings to the table, the lack of size is something that comes with the territory of acquiring a point guard in most cases.
One Key Factor
Jones’ value will be measured by how the stars play when he is on the court. That is the ultimate goal here. Maximizing the stars is how the Suns can hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The assist-to-turnover ratio will be important, but the three-point shot is what could separate him from closing games out and getting significant time with the stars.
The defense will be a fair concern in closing lineups, but if the team is clicking when he’s out there and he’s knocking down shots it will be tough to remove him from games.
Prediction Time
Jones starts for the Suns and puts together a strong season despite “limited” minutes for a typical starter due to the guard depth Phoenix possesses. I see him playing a role somewhere in the middle of what he was in Washington (key starter) and Memphis (high-end reserve).
10.1 PPG – 5.5 APG – 2.4 RPG — 47/40/85 shooting split in roughly 25 minutes per game with another stellar AST/TO ratio.
Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Final Thoughts
This addition of Jones makes the Suns a better, smarter, and deeper basketball team. It’s that simple.
The preexisting relationship with Grayson Allen is also a subplot to watch. Allen was “definitely on board” with the addition and was part of recruiting him.
I believe his ability to play with both the starting and bench groups will play a significant factor in the success of this team. He is an adaptable star role player, and his addition isn’t being talked about enough on the national scale. They’ll learn soon enough.
Welcome to the Valley, Tyus.
Read other 2024-25 Player Previews right here: