Mike James solidified Phoenix Suns starter?

By Joseph Lowery | Oct 24, 2017

PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 11: Mike James #55, Tyler Ulis #8 and Josh Jackson #20 of the Phoenix Suns shake hands during the preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 11, 2017 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /

After last night’s win, things are starting to look just a little bit better for the Phoenix Suns. A big piece of the credit must go to Mike James.

In the home win versus the Sacramento Kings, there was a visible boost in energy, passion and overall effort from the Phoenix Suns. A big piece of the credit for this should go to interim head coach Jay Triano. An equally big piece of credit should go to NBA rookie and Las Vegas Summer League star, Mike James.

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By now most Suns’ fans will be familiar with Mike James, a 27-year-old rookie who has spent his five-year playing career overseas. James signed a two-way contract with the Suns earlier this year. This gives Phoenix freedom to move him back-and-forth between their G-League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, and the main Phoenix-based franchise.

After the whole “Eric Bledsoe tweet/trade” fiasco, Mike James, a player many did not even want on the team in the first place, was thrust into the starting lineup.

In his first NBA game as a starter, James did not disappoint.

Against the Sacramento Kings, the point guard finished with 18 points and 7 assists, all while shooting 80% from the field and 50% from three.

While those stats are certainly impressive, the Phoenix ‘MJ’ had an even bigger impact on the game outside the box score – he controlled the tempo.

In one particular play early in the game when the Suns were shooting lights out, James pushed the ball quickly up the court. This caught the Kings out of position and allowed his teammates to get even more open looks at the basket. Later in the game when Sacramento started hitting their shots, James slowed the tempo. This in turn stopped the Kings’ momentum all together, which allowed the Suns to get into their halfcourt offense and find open shots.

Despite a small sample size, James has had tremendous success this season. Whether starting or coming off the bench, he has been a definite bright spot for the Suns.

Now that Eric Bledsoe is out of the picture, did last night’s performance solidify Mike James as the full-time starter at point guard for the Phoenix Suns?

Next: Phoenix Suns: Who is Interim Head Coach Jay Triano?

Ultimately, that decision is up to head coach Triano, but if James continues to perform like he has so far this season and Tyler Ulis continues to thrive in his backup role, the decision will become clear. Starting Mike James will be a great win for the Phoenix Suns moving forward.