What impact will James Jones have on free agency?
During his tenure as the Phoenix Suns General Manager, Ryan McDonough has developed a not so stellar reputation with veteran players and their agents. Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe, the Morris twins, and Isaiah Thomas didn’t exactly leave with glowing reviews of the organization. Certainly, the front office is not completely at fault for each situation. The Morris twins were a downright cancer and Bledsoe essentially demanded a trade on social media with his, “I don’t wanna be here” tweet. Still, deserved or not, these situations have left a stain on the organization.
So, in the summer of 2017, the Phoenix Suns hired 3-time NBA champ, James Jones as Vice President of Basketball Operations. Jones played 14 years in the NBA and served as secretary-treasurer of the NBA players association. Jones is widely respected throughout the league and was certainly hired to help mend the organizations’ reputation with players across the NBA.
When free agents visit the Phoenix Suns this summer, they’ll see a face in the room that they can trust. I definitely think that the hire of Jones will have an impact on upcoming free agents that might not have made a visit to Phoenix otherwise. The question is, will it be enough to get these players to actually sign? Time will tell, but it’s a step in the right direction for an organization that is trying to regain the trust of players and agents alike.