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Jerel McNeal: 2014-15 Phoenix Suns Player Grades

By Gerald Bourguet

Apr 4, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jerel McNeal (8) dribbles against Utah Jazz guard Bryce Cotton (8) at US Airways Center. The Suns won 87-85. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jerel McNeal (8) dribbles against Utah Jazz guard Bryce Cotton (8) at US Airways Center. The Suns won 87-85. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jerel McNeal
Apr 4, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jerel McNeal (8) controls the ball against the Utah Jazz at US Airways Center. The Suns won 87-85. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

Lowlights:

Poor McNeal. The guy makes his NBA debut, he finally gets signed to a contract for the rest of the season, and what should have been his fifth on-court appearance for the Suns is ruined by a bizarre roster snafu.

The two minutes and missed shot he logged against the San Antonio Spurs on Apr. 12 officially never happened because McNeal wasn’t listed on the active roster. The team was down to nine healthy players and this was probably his best bet at surpassing his season-high 10 minutes, but because his name wasn’t on the roster, he was forced to sit out and the Suns received a technical foul.

Before every game, each team’s head coach gets a list of players. The coach is responsible for circling active players and crossing out inactive ones. But McNeal was not on the roster, created by the league, and head coach Jeff Hornacek didn’t think to check to make sure everyone was on there.

According to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, Hornacek took blame for the event, but coaches usually only cross out the inactive names before circling everyone else. Chalk it up to another bizarre incident in the 2014-15 season for the Suns, and easily McNeal’s lowlight of his time in Phoenix.

Next: Highlights

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