Despite seeing their season flame out in embarrassing fashion last season, the Phoenix Suns now have too many players and not enough meaningful roles to go around. Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are clearly the top two players in The Valley, with Bradley Beal just behind them in third.
After that you'll find center Jusuf Nurkic - with his backup Mason Plumlee already assured of his spot - with the grouping of point guard Tyus Jones and the sharpshooting pair of Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale also in there. Josh Okogie is still on this roster, while Damion Lee is finally healthy and looking to force his way into the second unit.
The organization have a pair of rookies in Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro who will both believe they can pick up some minutes early in the campaign, and Bol Bol is back for a second season in Phoenix. He's a unique player, but one who new head coach Mike Budenholzer could find a spot for in certain lineups. We've certainly got a few ideas on how that could work out.
Where then does Monte Morris fit into all of this?
When it was announced the Suns had signed Morris to a minimum contract this summer, it was met with widespread acclaim. They sorely lacked a floor general last season, and here was a guy who was along for the ride with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a deep playoff run. Given the Suns could only use the minimum, this addition was a home run.
But then they went and somehow got Jones on the same deal, and the picture changed.
Risking lives to break a Tyus Jones story yeah he’s a sicko https://t.co/D29XBkzcid
— Lucas Burns (@nba_indepth) September 19, 2024
Jones and Morris have similarities - both incredible at taking care of the ball for example - but Jones is just the better version of the two players. Last season as a starter with the Washington Wizards, he put up 12 points and over eight assists per game. Numbers that his new employers would love to see replicated this coming campaign.
Unfortunately for Morris, the makeup of this roster means he is not simply going to be the backup to Jones each night. With Booker and Beal both sharing the backcourt, Jones himself will be coming off the bench sometimes. If he's not, it means the Suns are likely running a five-man group that consists of Jones, Booker, Beal, Durant and Nurkic. That's going to give up a ton defensively.
With one of Allen or O'Neale - and sometimes both - on the court to beef up the size of the group, Morris is once again going to lose out to Jones and Beal because they will always get the nod to get back onto the court before him. It feels then like Morris was added before the franchise ever knew they had a serious chance at getting Jones.
Even if Beal is missing through injury - which unfortunately will probably happen throughout the regular season - it is still hard to see Morris carving out regular minutes. He's still only 28-years-old so in theory could get better, but the only issue there is Jones is the same age and has had much more success both as a starter and off the bench with the Memphis Grizzlies in the past.
Perhaps the only saving grace for Morris then is the scorching 42.4 percent he shot from deep after joining the Minnesota Timberwolves at the deadline. That was on just over two attempts per game across 27 contests (zero starts, 15.1 minutes per game), so it is hard to know if he can replicate that in Phoenix or if it was a flash in the pan.
He is a career 39 percent 3-point shooter which certainly works in his favor, but he's also played for three different teams since the Denver Nuggets let him go in 2022. Compare that with Jones - who spent four seasons each with the Timberwolves and Grizzlies before a single campaign in Washington - and Beal who is making a ton of money this season.
Morris is obviously never going to take any minutes from Booker, and he is a different player to Allen and O'Neale. If anything the likes of TyTy Washington and Collin Gillespie - members of the G League roster - are going to push Morris for what precious minutes he does receive. He's already fallen through the cracks, and his lack of playing time could be a distraction once the season starts.