On Friday, Mike Budenholzer, the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns, gave a press conference in the desert to introduce himself.
Almost a week after officially succeeding the dismissed Frank Vogel, the championship-winning head coach was besieged with inquiries.
It was brought up Kevin Durant. Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, the other two members of the big three, were as well.
However, one intriguing topic that came up during the Q&A was the point guard position. Phoenix did not have a typical point in the previous campaign. It contributed to them just missing out on the NBA Play-In Tournament before the Minnesota Timberwolves easily defeated them in the opening round of the playoffs.
When reporters questioned Budenholzer about adding a point guard to the mix this summer, he only responded, “we probably need one.”
When Booker was on the court during the previous season, his primary responsibilities were point guard. At times, Durant assumed the role of the point forward. However, you need that conventional “quarterback” on offense in the NBA nowadays.
Phoenix’s problem is that it doesn’t have much to give up in exchange for a point guard. Just two second-round selections will be included in the following five NBA Drafts. Additionally, it is not allowed to sign any free agents who will make more money than the veteran minimum. General manager James Jones and colleagues have a lot of work ahead of them in that regard.
Even though the Suns were eliminated from the playoffs early this season, they still need to be considered a desirable destination for experienced free agents. Players in this position could be added in any number to help fill out the roster.
This may allow the Suns to get a starter at a reduced cost. This is made even more apparent by the fact that Budenholzer enjoys great respect from all sides of the league. Here are four options for Phoenix in both the NBA trade market and free agency.
Tyus Jones: A 28-year-old point guard, Jones is one of the most underappreciated players in the game. Additionally, he is exactly what the Suns need to run things and distribute the ball. The former Duke first-round choice shot a respectable 41% from three-point range last season in Washington and averaged a strong 7.3 assists per game. Whether the market will demand a bigger deal than what Phoenix can provide is the question at hand.
Monte Morris: For the majority of his career, this seasoned player has served as a backup. Additionally, he did not play much (2023–24) between the Timberwolves and Pistons (5.0 PPG, 2.1 APG, 41% shooting). Having said that, the Suns will face challenges when attempting to add a real starter to the mix. Morris did average 10.3 points and 5.3 assists on 48% shooting in a full-time starting job with Washington in 2022–2023.
Russell Westbrook: Will he and Kevin Durant reunite? It is a real possibility. Instead of taking a bigger offer from a non-contending team at this stage of his career, Westbrook needs to go after bigger targets. Even with his general decline in performance, Westbrook remains one of the best passers in the league. Over the previous two seasons, he has averaged 6.1 assists per game.
T.J. McConnell: With Grayson Allen, a sharpshooting guard, Phoenix may have the largest trade chip available at the moment. Someone who made a league-high 46% of his three-point shots last season could be difficult to get off of. However, in order to receive value, some must be sacrificed. Over his career, McConnell, 31, has averaged 5.1 assists per game. He embodies what it means to be a floor general. To make the salary work in this scenario, the Phoenix Suns also acquire more depth via a trade with the Indiana Pacers. That would entail the addition of Isaiah Jackson, a large man.
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