Grayson Allen might just have cost himself his spot with the Suns

There's no doubt that Grayson Allen's first season with the Phoenix Suns was a massive success. Not only did he lead the entire league in 3-point shooting during the regular season at 46.1 percent, he also started all bar one of the 77 games he appeared in across both regular and postseason.

In fact, you could argue he was the best player involved in the Deandre Ayton for Jusuf Nurkic trade last season, becoming crucial to the Suns going on to win 49 games. Nurkic exceeded expectations - Ayton less so in Portland - but it was the 28-year-old Allen who had a career year.

This was rewarded with a new, four-year, $70 million deal prior to the beginning of the playoffs - and although his shooting fell to a horrible 20 percent from deep against the Minnesota Timberwolves - that appeared to be as much to do with an ankle injury than anything else.

Allen though might have just talked himself out of his current role with the Suns.

Point guard Tyus Jones recently spoke to the media in Phoenix for the first time since his unexpected signing in what was one of the deals of the summer, and he had nothing but good things to say about his new teammate Allen.

The two are familiar with one another going back to Duke, where they won a national championship together in 2015. On top of that, they were also teammates between 2019-2021 on what was a fun and frisky Memphis Grizzlies team.

Jones also revealed that Allen was integral in recruiting the floor general to The Valley, telling the media "G, that's my guy, we go way back. Had some great conversations with him as well, looking forward to sharing the court with him... yeah he was definitely on board with me coming here and recruiting me as well and making me feel wanted".

But doesn't the introduction of Jones mean Allen is likely going to have to give up his starting spot? Cool as he might be with that - and really he sounds like the perfect sixth man for this group - it's a tough break for a player who had a career season last year. Maybe getting a new long-term deal helps to soften the blow.

The only other candidate to perhaps give up their spot for Jones - who also expects to start next season - is Bradley Beal. Given he is still owed $160 million and is only 31-years-old, that doesn't seem very likely. Although he was limited to only 57 games last season, he was one of the Suns' best performers down the stretch.

Allen then has done an extremely selfless thing by probably giving his starting spot away so that the team becomes better. It is that kind of attitude that the franchise needs to surround its star players with, and Jones is going to be a big upgrade on the court as well. It is just a shame it has to come at the expense of a player who helped make this unlikely deal come together in the first place.