The Phoenix Suns were already loaded with basketball royalty in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, but throw in Tyus Jones? Well, suddenly, things are getting spicy in the desert. After years of leading second units around the league, Jones finds himself not just starting—but thriving—alongside two of the NBA’s most lethal scorers, and he’s doing it with the grace of a seasoned point guard who knows exactly when to pull the strings and when to let loose.
From Bargain Bin to Court Magician
You’ve got to admire Tyus Jones’ commitment—or maybe his desire for a challenge—because the man left money on the table. Lots of it. Instead of cashing in on a cushy $12 million-per-year deal with a rebuilding team, he opted for a humble one-year, $3 million contract with the Suns. Now, most people would call that risky, but Jones? He calls it an opportunity.
“I’m loving it,” Jones told Sportskeeda in an exclusive interview, with a grin that screams, I know something you don’t. And he’s not wrong—averaging 9.4 points, 7.0 assists, and 3.6 rebounds through five games with a sparkling 4-1 record, Jones is proving that taking a pay cut was a small price to pay for basketball bliss. Sure, he could’ve been padding his stats in some half-empty arenas, but where’s the fun in that when you can throw alley-oops to KD?
Jones Is Already Bud’s Golden Child
New Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer probably wakes up every morning thanking the basketball gods for this stroke of fortune. Having a point guard like Jones, who seems incapable of turning the ball over, is like getting a free Tesla—efficiency at its finest, no fuel wasted. And Budenholzer? He’s loving it, too.
“He instills confidence in everyone, from 1 through 15,” Jones said of his new head coach, who has apparently been playing the role of basketball Zen master. “He’s the kind of guy you want to play for and go to battle with.” Sure, most NBA coaches have the confidence-building patter down, but Bud really seems to have made it stick in Phoenix, where expectations are sky-high—and Jones is here to help them meet them.
Playmaker on a Team of Stars
In Phoenix, Jones gets to show off his otherworldly assist-to-turnover ratio—currently a jaw-dropping 8.75—and with KD, Booker, and Bradley Beal ready to catch fire at a moment’s notice, it’s no wonder the Suns’ offense looks like a well-oiled machine (or at least, one that’s well on its way to becoming one). Even Kevin Durant, known for his poker-faced stoicism, had to admit the impact Jones is having.
“He’s not just controlling the game and dishing out shots whenever he wants. We’re all playing in the flow of each other,” Durant said, as if he were describing some kind of cosmic basketball harmony. And cosmic it is—Jones keeps the ball moving, and the defense? They’re just trying to keep up.
The stats back it up, too. Booker, who once spent most of his time dribbling like he was in an And1 mixtape, has seen his time of possession plummet, but his efficiency? Through the roof. When you’ve got Jones running the offense, suddenly you don’t need to be a one-man army.
Defenders Beware: Tyus Jones Is Coming
Opposing teams are quickly learning that focusing solely on Durant, Booker, and Beal is a fast-track to disaster. Dallas Mavericks head coach and NBA Hall of Famer Jason Kidd summed it up best before a recent matchup: “You can’t go to sleep on Jones. He can score, he can get into the paint, and collapse the defense.”
Translation: You might want to start doubling Jones too, but good luck with that. When you’ve got three of the league’s best perimeter players waiting for the ball, help defense is more of a pipe dream than a strategy.
From the Film Room to the Court—It’s All a Science
It’s not just talent—it’s brains, too. Jones is practically living in the film room these days, studying his teammates’ tendencies like he’s cramming for a final exam. Every time he breaks down an opponent’s defense or finds one of his guys in the perfect spot, you can almost hear him muttering, Checkmate.
“Studying the game and watching a lot of film—on our team, on our opponents, understanding the system, knowing where everyone is supposed to be,” Jones explained. Basically, he’s doing the homework so Durant and Booker can ace the test. You’re welcome, Phoenix.
Chemistry in the Desert: Still a Work in Progress
Of course, all this talent doesn’t guarantee rings—not yet, at least. As Jones candidly admitted, there’s still work to do. “We’re working to make it second nature, where we’re not thinking, just flying around making plays on both ends.” Sounds simple, right? Not when you’ve got the NBA’s most target-rich environment for offensive firepower.
The Suns’ season may be young, but with Jones’ steady hand at the helm and Budenholzer’s confidence-boosting magic, the Phoenix Suns are officially in orbit—and who knows how high they can go?
Just ask Jones. After all, the sky’s the limit.
