PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns made their biggest free agent signing in years earlier this week when the team announced it officially signed Tyus Jones.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“It’s been an exciting time,” Jones said in his first media with the Suns at Footprint Center Wednesday. “Been a busy, busy last few days, but I’m thrilled to be here, thrilled to be a part of the organization. It feels like home already, feels like family already. And that was kind of the biggest thing for me, and I’m ready to go.”
The 28-year-old Jones comes over to the Suns after spending one season with the Washington Wizards, who had the second-worst record in the NBA at 15-67 in the 2023-24 season. Despite averaging a career-best 12.0 points per game shooting 48.9% from the field and 41.4% from 3 along with 7.3 assists to only one turnover per game (best single season assist-to-turnover ratio in a single season) across 66 starts with Washington, Jones only took a one-year, veteran-minimum contract worth $3.3 million to be with the Suns in the 2024-25 season, as he recruited to be the team’s starting point guard.
Coming off a career year ???? pic.twitter.com/YHYrzuXwr8
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) July 30, 2024
Jones explained his decision to sign with Phoenix.
“Opportunity to win. I’m a competitor. I want to win, want to compete, want a chance to lead,” Jones said. “The role that was offered up here, it’s hard to pass up. Just from conversations with (CEO) Josh (Bartelstein), with (general manager) James (Jones), with (owner) Mat (Ishbia), with coach (Mike Budenholzer). They did a great job recruiting me, but ultimately, the role for myself, I felt the fit was perfect.
“You look at the roster, I mean, it speaks for itself, and (I) felt like I could help with what I bring to the table. Feel like I could help contribute to a championship-contending team. And, yeah, I’m just very, very excited about it.”
Jones, who has the best assist-to-turnover ratio in NBA history (min. 1000 assists), has played a complimentary role to some strong teams in the past, having spent his first four years in Minnesota after being drafted 24th overall in 2015 before signing with Memphis in 2019 and remaining with the Grizzlies the next four years, appearing in the playoffs in three of those years. However, he now gets to have arguably the best supporting cast he has ever had in Phoenix with the likes of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
“It’s crazy,” Jones said of the Suns’ roster. “From the outside looking in, obviously, you look at the roster, it’s a stacked roster, and I feel like my game compliments all of their games as well and their skill sets. And I feel like the fit will be easy. I’m really looking forward to sharing the court with the guys.”
Not only does Jones get a chance to play alongside them, he will start next to the three stars and be the primary facilitator.
“I’m at a loss for words for it,” Jones said of being Phoenix’s starting point guard. “I’m excited. I’m ready for the opportunity, ready to seize it. Going back to the fit, I felt like the fit was perfect. Ultimately, I’m ready for the season to be here already. I know we got some time, but I just want to hoop. I want to hoop. I want to get out there with the guys, build our camaraderie, build our chemistry, and ultimately we’re competing for a championship. That’s our end goal, that’s the big goal. That’s why everyone’s here, and that’s why you play the game.”
All in all, Jones is excited to be in Phoenix.
“It goes back to the role, the fit,” Jones said. “I think the need on the roster for a starting point guard was something that ultimately drew me in. But then again, KD, Book and Brad, I mean, I think it kind of speaks for itself, a chance to play alongside those guys in a city like Phoenix, with a new, proven coach in coach Bud. I just think everything kind of aligned. And again, I keep saying it, but the fit I felt like was perfect.”
Stay tuned for more content from this press conference over the next few days.
Suns now have the 2 best players in NBA history in this category
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
