Suns Made Two of Most Impactful Offseason Moves

The Phoenix Suns made two moves that can help define the 2024-25 season.

Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer speaks to the media during practice at the Verizon 5G Performance Center in Phoenix on Oct. 1, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns are different with the new season approaching.

With a new head coach in Mike Budenholzer commanding the troops and fresh starting point guard Tyus Jones leading the offense, the Suns hope to be in better shape as the 2024-25 season approaches.

Both new names in the Valley figure to be some of the most impactful moves of the offseason, according to Bleacher Report.

Tyus Jones

Suns guard Tyus Jones during practice at the Verizon 5G Performance Center in Phoenix on Oct. 1, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dan Favale: "Tyus Jones landing on the Phoenix Suns for the veteran's minimum is truly wild stuff. And it's not just the financial value but what he brings to the rotation.

"People have been begging the Suns to add an offensive organizer who could stabilize the team during stretches in which it appeared aimless and turnover-happy. Game managers don't get much more game manager-y than Jones, a true assist-to-turnover-ratio deity.

"Michael Jordan is currently the only other player on record with as many seasons averaging an assist rate north of 25 with a turnover percentage below nine. For good measure, Jones also banged in 42.2 percent of his standstill triples last year.

"This addition does pose some obstacles at the other end. Phoenix was light on dependable wing defenders in the first place. How will it fare should its core lineup include three guards and Kevin Durant? To be clear, you make this move anyway—11 times out of 10. But this is food for thought as the season gets underway and we skip ahead to crunch-time and playoff situations."

Our Thoughts: The Suns often looked disorganized without a "true" point guard in the lineup and were plagued with late-game turnovers, which often led to losses.

Insert Jones, who is capable of solving both of these issues as the starting one guard in Phoenix. Jones is not a player who needs numerous shots per night and can put the Suns' brightest stars in better position to thrive.

With Budenholzer's offense, this, on paper, should bode very well for the Suns and get them closer to the team everyone knows they can be.

Mike Budenholzer

Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer speaks to the media during practice at the Verizon 5G Performance Center in Phoenix on Oct. 1, 2024. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Favale: "Based on reporting that, despite its published date, clearly preceded the end of the season, the Phoenix Suns had no choice other than to dismiss head coach Frank Vogel after one year. Their title window is too small to schlepp forward with someone who doesn't have the necessary buy-in from the most important jersey-wearing stakeholders.

"About-facing to Mike Budenholzer makes the decision that much easier. He is a clear offensive upgrade.

"Strike Tyus Jones' arrival from the record, and you could, at minimum, likely count on the Suns taking more threes, generating more movement and getting more creative with how and where they get the ball to Kevin Durant—and maybe even Bradley Beal.

"Phoenix has more questions on the defensive end. It propped up a top-12 machine last season, but the core lineups currently want for wings, a lot is still on the shoulders of an almost-36-year-old Durant, and any drop-off from Jusuf Nurkić could spell disaster regardless of how aggressive (coming up to the level of the screen) or conservative (drop coverage) the team is trying to play."

Our Thoughts: Budenholzer has a clear plan of how things will look in Phoenix, which is more than what could be said about Vogel upon arrival.

Everything is there for the Suns to improve under Budenholzer, who has an established track record of winning in the NBA along with championship pedigree after leading the Bucks to a 2021 NBA Finals victory over Phoenix.