The Phoenix Suns have done such extensive work rebuilding their roster this offseason that they now have four centers and sent a top performer to Europe in the preseason because of their larger backcourt. Although they started 1-2, head coach Jordan Ott has a lot of players at his disposal to try to become a cohesive unit.
He also hasn’t had Jalen Green so far this season due to a hamstring issue, while center Mark Williams apparently won’t play back-to-backs. Through it all, many thought the front office missed a trick by not bringing in a veteran point guard to take over that responsibility for both Green and Devin Booker, even though all three couldn’t play together.
Former Sun Tyus Jones is having a tough time with the Orlando Magic.
One of those names that could have been a solution for the Suns in this area is former player Tyus Jones, who left The Valley after a disappointing season. A year ago, the thinking was that he could help the team with basketball and wake up Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal every night.
I asked #Magic coach Jamahl Mosley what he thought didn’t work tonight for Tyus Jones (0 points in 14 minutes) vs. Bulls:
“… At that moment it wasn’t about what he didn’t give, it was more about the question: ‘Can Jase be here for a moment?’ In which he provided that spark…’
More: pic.twitter.com/XLSF5iuo5h
— Jason Beede (@therealBeede) October 26, 2025
Then the Suns couldn’t defend an AAU team and that idea quickly went up in smoke. Jones left for a fringe contender in the Orlando Magic, who on paper looked much better at dealing with his defensive shortcomings. It’s easier to carry an undersized floor general if you have Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Wendell Carter Jr. and even employ Jonathan Isaac.
Carry Jones is exactly what the Magic have done, and so far he’s been well below average for his new team. The 29-year-old has generally done his best work as a backup, but despite starting just one game so far and playing less than 20 minutes every night, he has still failed to create much of an impact.
If anything, the fact that the Magic have the same record as the Suns early on – despite being in the weaker conference – is a worrying sign for their ambitions this season. It also undermines the idea that the Suns should have tried harder to keep Jones in Phoenix this season. They are now a rebuilding group and young people need an experienced ball handler to make their lives easier.
Only now we know that wouldn’t have happened — and given coach Ott’s early desire to play veterans over young players — Jones probably would have gotten a ton of time on the field to try to figure it out. That would have been a mistake and it wouldn’t have made a difference based on what we saw in Orlando, so it’s a good thing he’s struggled elsewhere this season.
#Suns #point #guard #struggles #poorly #team