The Phoenix Suns wrapped up the team’s exit interviews Wednesday afternoon with GM James Jones and owner Mat Ishbia speaking about a variety of intriguing topics.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Among those was them both responding to the recent report by TNT NBA insider Chris Haynes that head coach Frank Vogel wanted a point guard, and the Suns front office declined.
Haynes stated that the front office thought a point guard would impact the amount of ball possession of the “Big Three” Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker.
“Frank Vogel wanted a point guard on that roster, and the front office believed that bringing a point guard over would take the ball out of the hands of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.”
The Point Guard Dilemma Continues
While both didn’t confirm or deny whether the report was true or false, Jones did mention how adding a point guard would indeed change different players’ time of possession.
“I think the team could benefit from having a point guard, I believe the team could benefit from having backup forwards, backup centers,” Jones said. “I still always go back to your best players on the floor. That’s a narrative we’ll hear a lot, ‘Point guard, point guard, point guard.’ Sure, that’s great but who do you want? Whose available given the way we are built? Who can fit with this group? Whose game seamlessly fits with this group and when you put that player on the floor and you take the ball out of someone’s hands, whose hands are you taking it out of? Who are you putting in that position?
“It’s more than just a position like a point guard or a small forward, it’s the actual player that you can get or you do have. And so if we had the point guard that would be the best fit for this group, we find him if available… I don’t run away from saying that we can benefit from having a point guard, I just don’t think that would be the answer to a lot of our problems.”
Posted on X by AZCentral Suns reporter Duane Rankin, Ishbia was not sure Haynes’ claim was factual but believes both Vogel and Jones have the same mindset.
“Those decisions, James, Frank [Vogel], the players, everyone talks about these things,” Ishbia said. “Whether you need a point guard, whether you don’t need a point guard, there’s a lot of different discussions. There are two smart people and both people can go different ways. I don’t know if that report is correct by the way, whether Frank thought that or James thought that.
“We make a decision as a team, and I think the way we went with it, most people will argue that you want the ball in those three guys’ hands as much as possible. If you have a point guard or someone else out there, the ball is in their hands less and you have to decide if that is what you want… It doesn’t mean James is right, it doesn’t mean Frank is right. I think they are both on the same page.”
Mat Ishbia said he's not sure the report is true that Frank Vogel wanted a point guard and the front office didn't,
Said to talk to James Jones about that. #Suns #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/9TJMXs1Acy
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) May 1, 2024
As the team, its fans and the media try to pinpoint what they were missing this past season, a popular narrative floating around was that the Suns needed a “true” point guard with a strong playmaking ability.
Booker, Beal and Grayson Allen have all played shooting guard throughout their careers and needed to adjust when becoming teammates as they all started together with the Suns. Allen played small forward, Booker was the point guard and Beal stayed at shooting guard for Phoenix.
Jones alluded to the current makeup of the team limiting the ability for Phoenix to pick up a point guard given their current financial situation. Next season, Durant will make $51.2 million, Beal is set to receive $50.2 million, Booker will earn $49.4 million and the Suns will have the highest tax bill in the NBA next season of $209 million.
Phoenix was swept 4-0 in the first round of the NBA Playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and had Isaiah Thomas as the only “real” point guard on the bench. Thomas appeared in just six games this season.
With the offseason underway for the Suns and roster moves surely on the cards in the not-too-distant future, it will be interesting to see who will leave and join the team going forward.
Frank Vogel reportedly wanted point guard, Suns front office rejected
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Alec Cipollini covers Phoenix Sports News for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
