Phoenix pulled off a nice coup by signing Tyus Jones for $3.3 million over one year. The time was still for satisfaction Wednesday during his presentation press conference. With Tyus Jones, Phoenix has acquired an organizing leader who knows how to take care of the ball, make others shine while remaining an offensive threat not to be overlooked. In short, it's the perfect move for the Suns, who managed to attract his services without blowing their budget.
The leaders could not have dreamed of a better compromise to guide the Booker-Beal-Durant trio, this time with a real playmaker to lead a boat now coached by Mike Budenholzer.
“We’ve always been big fans of Tyus the player. And we’re just as big fans discovering the person right now, and involving him in our project. We think it’s a perfect fit. When free agency starts, you never think you’re going to get a player like that. But with the new restrictions, and the lack of a salary cap, this kind of thing can happen.”, said Josh Bartelstein, the Suns' deputy chairman.. “We knew it was a basketball level thing, but I think in the last 10 days, there's been a human aspect that's come into play, the way we treat him, his incredible family and his kids. Basketball will follow.”
An opportunity to shine…and win
As for basketball, Tyus Jones expressed his eagerness to start getting to work. After eight years in Minnesota and then Memphis, he joined Washington last season. Here he is again in an ambitious team, and his role will be to serve superstars.
“I don’t have the words. I’m excited. I’m ready for this opportunity, I know what it means. But for me, it comes down to everything aligning. I felt like it was perfect. I’m ready for the season to start. I know we still have time, but I just want to play basketball, be with the guys, build our camaraderie, our cohesion and ultimately fight for a title. That’s our ultimate goal.”
Tyus Jones, a first-time full-season starter for Washington, has proven that he can keep up the same performance. In Phoenix, however, his role will be more like what he did in Memphis, namely distributing for the rest of the team, while representing a more than dissuasive shooting threat. It will all be a question of complementarity with the Suns' leaders, and Tyus Jones is ready to take on the role of conductor for coach Bud's five, with only one goal: to win.
“From the outside, when you look at the squad, it's complete. I have the feeling that my game is complementary to theirs and their qualities. So it will easily fit. I'm really looking forward to being on the field with the guys.”he continued. “I’m a competitor. I want to win, I want to fight, I want to have a chance to lead. The role that I’ve been offered here, it’s hard to turn down (…). I’m going to try to make it easy for Book, KD, Brad and the rest of the guys. Just facilitate, set the game up and do what I do, which is be a point guard and a leader.”
Now we'll have to be patient as Suns training camp begins in just under two months…
| Tyus Jones | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | MIN | 37 | 16 | 35.9 | 30.2 | 71.8 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 4.2 |
| 2016-17 | MIN | 60 | 13 | 41.4 | 35.6 | 76.7 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 3.5 |
| 2017-18 | MIN | 82 | 18 | 45.7 | 34.9 | 87.7 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 5.1 |
| 2018-19 | MIN | 68 | 23 | 41.5 | 31.7 | 84.1 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 6.9 |
| 2019-20 | SAME | 65 | 19 | 45.9 | 37.9 | 74.1 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 4.4 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 7.5 |
| 2020-21 | SAME | 70 | 18 | 43.1 | 32.1 | 91.1 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 6.3 |
| 2021-22 | SAME | 73 | 21 | 45.1 | 39.0 | 81.8 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 8.7 |
| 2022-23 | SAME | 80 | 24 | 43.8 | 37.1 | 80.0 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 5.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 10.3 |
| 2023-24 | WAS | 66 | 29 | 48.9 | 41.4 | 80.0 | 0.3 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 7.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 12.0 |
| Total | 601 | 20 | 44.5 | 36.7 | 81.3 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 7.4 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
