Since sliding into the big chair back in the summer of 2019, Phoenix Suns general manager James Jones has for the most part done well to keep Planet Orange alive and well.
His up-and-down initial season at the helm ended on a high note thanks to the team’s undefeated bubble run. He won the NBA’s Executive of the Year award the year after as the Suns reached their first NBA Finals since the early 90s.
Although it all ended poorly, he also produced a 64-win team the following season which broke a franchise record.
Jones hired Monty Williams as his co-captain for all three of those seasons who helped change the team’s culture from the jump. He played a large role in orchestrating the Chris Paul trade, Jae Crowder’s acquisition, and Cameron Johnson’s draft selection.
Since taking over, Jones owns a 149-79 record. This winning, catapulted at the same time by an extremely young core, remains something for any Suns fan to look at with pride.
However, some blemishes still exist on Jones’s well-respected resume. This past season’s ending resembles his largest one. This season felt like the team’s best opportunity to win its first title yet, but as we know, the Suns came up short.
Looking back on how we got here before the draft and free agency open up in the coming days, Jones’s lows need to be addressed one final time. During the 2021-22 season, these three moves contributed significantly to why the Suns never even reached the Western Conference Finals—let alone the NBA Finals once again.