TEAM-SPECIFIC
BOS: Derrick White on his Olympic arrival, reuniting with Celtics, Jaylen Brown’s frustrations, and defending an NBA titleAdam Himmelsbach, Boston Globe
CHA: Early impressions of Tidjane SalaünRoderick Boone, Charlotte Observer
PHX: Projecting the Suns depth chart after bargain-bin Tyus Jones signingChristopher Kline, FanSided
Based on ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Jones turned down 4 instances as a lot cash from different groups, with the Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks as reported suitors. This can be a large credit score to Mat Ishbia, Mike Budenholzer, and Suns administration. It takes one heck of a pitch to land a high free agent in his prime on a 75 p.c low cost
Jones’ 7.35 assist-to-turnover ratio final season was the best in recorded NBA historical past. He now owns the three highest single-season marks for the reason that stat joined the official file in 1977-78.
This can be a coup for the Suns, by and thru. It is exhausting to fathom Jones not making greater than the veteran minimal. A number of groups ought to’ve been banging down his door for a sign-and-trade within the $20 million vary. Alas, Jones goes to a longtime contender, and it is exhausting to not be impressed with how Phoenix has dealt with its offseason in such a decent spot. Credit score the place credit score is due, Ishbia is altering the tradition round this Suns group.
PHX: Suns now have the two greatest gamers in NBA historical past on this categoryBrendan Mau, Burn Metropolis Sports activities
One evident weak spot that plagued the Phoenix Suns all of final season was turnovers, as they might by no means work out the correct offensive system as a consequence of quite a lot of components.
Final 12 months, the Suns averaged 14.9 group turnovers per sport, which was the twenty fifth most within the NBA. Phoenix confronted well being points all season lengthy and completed the 12 months and not using a true level guard seeing minutes, because it tried a multi ball-handler strategy with Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, Eric Gordon and others.
This offseason, the Suns addressed this gap and added the 2 greatest gamers statistically in assist-to-turnover ratio in NBA historical past in Tyus Jones and Monte Morris. They did so by getting each gamers on one-year, veteran-minimum offers.
Jones has led the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio in every of the final six seasons, whereas Morris has been second on this class in 4 of these years.
WAS: How Jonas Valanciunas may assist Alex Sarr’s developmentChase Hughes, Monumental Sports activities Community
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