Sun’s Backcourt Blunder! Tyus Jones Signing Exacerbates Point Guard Conundrum

Seriously, what happened to Tyus Jones? When the Phoenix Suns snagged him in free agency last summer, it looked like a steal. A veteran minimum deal for a guy known for his steady playmaking and elite ball security. That was supposed to be the fix, right? The missing piece from last season’s disaster, where Phoenix ran with two shooting guards — Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — and watched fourth quarters crumble.

Jones was meant to be the stabilizer, the steady hand that prevented late-game meltdowns. But instead of being the answer, he’s become yet another question mark.

We didn’t ask for Tyus Jones to drop 18 a night. We didn’t need him to be a scoring machine. All we needed was for him to be the steady hand at the wheel, facilitating the offense, moving the ball, navigating space, and setting up our elite scorers: Booker, Beal, and Durant. His job wasn’t to watch the game unfold from the corner, waiting for a stray three-pointer. But here we are.

Jones has effectively turned into a poor man’s shooting guard, parked in the corner like a forgotten prop, waiting for a rare, open shot. Sure, it’s an oversimplification, but for those of us suffering through every game, it’s the sad truth. His offense initiation has been nonexistent. His usage rate is a paltry 15.9%, and despite his 67.9 touches a game, his passing is an utter failure, graded an F and stuck in the 4th percentile by B-Ball Index.

And the ball security we relied on? The one thing we thought could steady the Suns, especially in the fourth quarter crunch-time situations? It’s slipping. Fast. What happened to the Tyus Jones we thought could help guide this ship? Right now, he’s just another part of the wreckage.

Last night, in a loss to the Houston Rockets, Tyus Jones set a career-high — in turnovers — with a cringeworthy six. Four of those came in the fourth quarter.

Jones, who was supposed to be the steady hand, crumbled under pressure, telegraphing passes like a rookie. Even Suns analyst Eddie Johnson was left scratching his head on the broadcast, and honestly, so were we. This isn’t what we signed up for when we finally got a point guard. Jones wasn’t brought here to implode in the clutch. But that’s exactly what happened.

Tyus certainly has his physical limitations at 6’1”. He’s never going to be a lockdown defender, and quickness just isn’t his forte on offense or defense. With a 115.6 defensive rating, he’s far from impressive on that end of the floor. The man struggles to stop the ball, and quite honestly, he couldn’t guard a parked car if it had a basketball in its hands.

Last night, with both Booker and Beal out, Coach Mike Budenholzer tweaked his rotation and handed some serious minutes to the G League stars, Collin Gillespie and TyTy Washington. These guys showcased their ability to penetrate defenses with ease, something we haven’t seen from the point guard position this season. Their ability to collapse the defense and force tough decisions is exactly what you want. Attack and make the defense pick their poison: stop the ball or risk giving up easy buckets.

But when Jones returned in the fourth quarter, it was like the Rockets saw a gift fall into their laps. Jones couldn’t get by anyone off the dribble, and his passes were about as subtle as a wrecking ball. The Rockets could time every pass, leading to fast break opportunities and a sinking Suns team. A fresh look from the young guys? Yes. But when Jones came in, you could almost hear the Rockets’ collective sigh of relief.

I made the case earlier this week that the Suns should move Tyus Jones to the bench, and after seeing his recent performances, I’m even more convinced of it. Sure, he can hit a wide-open three-pointer, but we need more than that from our point guard position. Give me a young talent like Gillespie or Washington. They bring something Jones doesn’t: the ability to penetrate, put pressure on the defense, and actually break down a defense with their speed. Jones? He doesn’t do any of that. If we’re just going to watch turnovers pile up, then what’s the point of keeping him in the starting lineup?

You’re watching the “disease of ‘what if’” unfold right before your eyes.

With the All-Star break here, Phoenix coaches now have more time to dissect film and try to course-correct. What’s going wrong in Phoenix? Well, a lot. Sitting at 26-28, 11th in the standings, is a far cry from the expectations for this team.

As Mike Budenholzer sips his coffee and analyzes the film, he’ll probably see what we all do: Tyus Jones isn’t cutting it. The experiment hasn’t worked. It’s time to make the move. Jones is a veteran minimum player who won’t be around next year. Meanwhile, Collin Gillespie and TyTy Washington? They’ll be here, and they deserve more of a shot. The Suns have gone from championship aspirations to scouting potential backup point guards for next season.

Embrace the suck. Bench Jones.