Category: Phoenix Suns Blog

Suns blog – Phoenix Suns blog, on Suns basketball news, rumors and more

Nets sign guard Tyler Johnson, who last played for Suns

The Brooklyn Nets, who yesterday waived guard/forward Theo Pinson, signed guard Tyler Johnson today.

Johnson (6’4, 190) is a six-year NBA veteran who appeared in 31 games (three starts) this season with the Phoenix Suns, recording averages of 5.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 16.6 minutes per game. In 301 career games (71 starts) split between Miami (2014-19) and Phoenix (2019-20), the 28-year-old has registered averages of 10.5 points on 43.0 percent shooting from the field and 35.8 percent shooting from 3-point range, 3.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 25.7 minutes per contest.

Per the New York Daily News, “he should give the Nets some additional depth at the point guard position as the Nets attempt to make a playoff run without Kyrie Irving. The Nets nearly signed Johnson to a four-year, $50 million contract when he was a restricted free agent in 2016, but the Heat ultimately matched the offer sheet.”

Johnson averaged double figures in points in three straight seasons (2016-19), with his most productive season coming in 2016-17 with Miami, when he saw action in a career-high 73 games and averaged career bests in points (13.7), rebounds (4.0), assists (3.2), steals (1.2) and minutes (29.8). Johnson also made two postseason appearances with Miami (2016 and 2018), appearing in 10 playoff contests.

The Grand Forks, N.D., native went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, beginning his first professional season with the NBA G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce. Johnson played in 15 games with the Skyforce before signing two 10-day contracts and a multi-year deal with Miami in early 2015. Prior to beginning his professional career, Johnson spent four years (2010-14) at Fresno State, earning All-Mountain West Conference Second Team honors as a senior.

Brooklyn’s roster now stands at 17 players.

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver likes to use a flip phone

Here’s the Arizona Republic reporting on Phoenix Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver’s regular use of a flip phone, as opposed to something a bit more technical and modern:

Sarver recently revealed why he chooses to use a flip phone in an interview with the Suns’ Lindsey Smith in a recent entry of the team’s video production: The Outlet.

“I know, people make fun of that,” Sarver said during the interview. “Here’s the honest reason. The honest reason is I don’t want to have a device on me that I can get on the internet and I can look at emails, because it is too distracting. And for someone like me who has a little ADD, if I am with people, I need to be with people. I can’t be constantly looking at my phone. Listen, the technology of these phones and everything are great, they do a lot of stuff, but they also sometimes can interfere with your ability to have one-on-one conversation in meetings.”

The larger point here is worth considering. Whatever your prime focus is during a given moment, whether something fun like watching basketball or serious like a business deal, it’s always effective to eliminate additional distractions.

Dan Majerle reportedly files lawsuit against Grand Canyon University

Here’s Arizona Sports reporting on former NBA player turned college coach Dan Majerle:

Former Grand Canyon University men’s basketball coach Dan Majerle is suing the school that fired him, according to court documents obtained by Arizona Sports.

Majerle is suing under three causes for action, including breach of contract.

The court documents detail Majerle’s firing and the wrongdoing he alleges, including not providing a severance provision.

On the NBA career of Josh Jackson

Here’s the Arizona Republic on young Josh Jackson, who had just started to put up some real numbers when the NBA season was put on hold in mid March:

Josh Jackson never reached his full potential in his two seasons in Phoenix, but he showed signs of doing so for the Memphis Grizzlies this season.

After a lengthy process of having to prove himself by playing in the G-League, the fourth overall pick in the 2017 draft got the call up in January and found himself on the floor when the game was on the line for the Grizzlies (32-33)…

Jackson, 23, averaged a career-low 10.4 points in 18 games, but the 6-8 wing shot a career-best 43.9% from the field. In March, he averaged 16.6 points on 47.5% shooting (38.2% from 3) in five games before the NBA season was put on hold March 11 after Utah Jazz all-star Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus.

Listed at 6-foot-8, 207 pounds, Jackson, when NBA play eventually resumes, definitely needs to continue showing growth if he wants to solidify his place in the league.

Some Suns players may soon begin working out at team facility

Actual pro basketball games aren’t returning just yet. Neither is any total team activity. But as for some individiual players making use of team facilities, that could happen soon. In limited fashion. Here’s the Arizona Republic:

The Phoenix Suns are looking to take advantage of the NBA allowing teams to use their practice facilities and arenas to train as the 2019-20 season remains on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Team officials said they’re prepared to have controlled, voluntary workouts May 16 at the earliest at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum as Gov. Doug Ducey announced last week the stay-at-home order would, with some modifications, be in place until May 15.

Talking Stick Resort Arena is under renovations as part of a $230-million project and the new state-of-the-art indoor practice facility on 44th and just north of Camelback Road has been under construction…

The NBA informed teams last week that as numerous state and local governments make “modifications of stay-at-home orders and other restrictions on non-essential business activity beginning”, the league plans to “modify its guidance regarding the use of team practice facilities and player training.”

This mainly means that the individual players will be better able to train. We’re still nowhere near games resuming. But it’s a positive step.

We may see Devin Booker play a bit more PG for Suns

Here’s Arizona Sports reporting on the Suns backcourt, which features Ricky Rubio at point guard and scoring star Devin Booker at shooting guard:

So, on a team where its net rating went from 3.8 when starting point guard Ricky Rubio was on the floor to a team-worst -6.5 when he was off, you’d surely want to fill in some of those spot minutes with Booker in control, especially with the inept backup point guard play, right?

Nope. The Suns’ top lineup in minutes featuring Booker without Rubio, Elie Okobo, Ty Jerome, Tyler Johnson or Jevon Carter played a total of six minutes. (And let the record show they scored 21 points in those six minutes).

There, of course, was a reason for this. Booker got worn down by those minutes with the burden of the entire offense on him, and preserving Booker over a full season was a priority for [head coach Monty] Williams.

But after year one of locking Point Book away in the basement, Williams wants to bring him back upstairs next season.

“Anything I would like to explore would probably be putting Devin at the point guard position a bit more than I did last year,” he said on a conference call Thursday. “I think he’s at a point in his career where he’s making the right plays consistently.”

After a hot start to the season, the Suns were 26-39 when the league was put on hold in mid March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Booker averaged 26.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, while Rubio put up 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.9 assists per outing.

Devin Booker has selected the organizations who will receive his NBA 2K tournament win money

Here’s the Arizona Republic reporting which organizations Devin Booker has chosen to support thanks to his recent video game touranment win:

Phoenix Suns all-star Devin Booker will split the $100,000 grand prize for winning last week’s NBA 2K Players Tournament between #FirstRespondersFirst and Arizona Food Bank Network, the Suns announced Wednesday.

Booker defeated teammate Deandre Ayton in the finals Saturday to win $100,000 to give to his charity of choice in support of coronavirus relief efforts.

#FirstRespondersFirst provides “essential supplies, equipment and resources for the protection of frontline healthcare workers” while Arizona Food Bank Network is “a non-profit organization serving five regional food bank members across the state of Arizona and a network of nearly 1,200 food pantries and agencies.”

Kelly Oubre Jr. undergoes knee surgery

Phoenix Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr. underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee today.

Here’s the Arizona Republic:

Oubre had last season cut short with a hand injury that underwent surgery and kept him out Phoenix’s last 11 games. That came after he scored what was then a career-high 32 points in a road win against New Orleans in his hometown.

Oubre signed a two-year, $30-million deal in the offseason.

The Suns will re-evaluate his health status in four weeks. But the NBA regular season ends a few weeks after that, and barring a miracle, the Suns (24-37) won’t be making the playoffs this year. So don’t be surprised if Oubre doesn’t return until next season.

The Suns have been led in scoring this season by Devin Booker at 26.0 points per game, followed by Deandre Ayton at 19.2 PPG, then Oubre at 18.7 PPG.

Suns lose again, now to Warriors

The Suns got off to a good start this NBA season. Then things started going downhill. Very downhill. We’re talking about a really long hill. Here’s the Arizona Republic:

Marquese Chriss followed up a missed shot with an emphatic dunk in the fourth quarter, stared into the stands – and there was no reaction.

That’s how lifeless the Phoenix Suns were.

Facing the worst team in the Western Conference that had only eight available players, Phoenix lost embarrassing fashion, 115-99, before 16,395 fans at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

The Suns (24-37) cleared the bench with 1:42 left to a half empty arena that housed perhaps Phoenix’s worst loss of the season.

The Suns shot 40%, gave up 17 points off 20 turnovers and blew an 18-point lead in losing a third straight game, all at home, at the halfway mark of a six-game homestand.

In the win, Eric Paschall scored 25 points off the bench, starting guard Damion Lee had 20 points, five rebounds, eight assists and no turnovers, and Andrew Wiggins shot just 6 of 20 but still filled the stat-sheet with 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. The Warriors had 30 assists on their 41 made field goals.

The Suns are now 24-37 this season, which is the third-worst record in the Western conference.

Devin Booker wins NBA Cares Community Assist award for November, 2019

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has received the November NBA Cares Community Assist Award. This in recognition of his efforts to impact the lives of local children and families through his Devin Booker Starting Five initiative.

The award recognizes a player each month who best reflects the passion that the league and NBA players share for giving back to their communities.

Booker created the Devin Booker Starting Five to further his commitment to the Phoenix community, pledging $500,000 annually to five different youth-serving nonprofits in Arizona, and a total of $2.5 million over the course of five years. In November, he announced Special Olympics Arizona, Ability 360, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, UMOM New Day Centers and Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center as members of the Starting Five. Booker invited the organizations to Talking Stick Resort Arena to surprise each of them with an initial $100,000 donation. The funding will allow the organizations to address critical areas of need, including the construction and refurbishment of facilities, expansion of family services, improved patient support and investments in research.