The Phoenix Suns didn't have a traditional point guard during the 2023-24 season, and it ended up costing them dearly. Relying on Devin Booker - an elite scorer - and a player in Bradley Beal who was never healthy backfiring once it came to the playoffs.
Rather than have a roster that was able to execute when the game slowed down, they were instead swatted aside by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Credit to Booker though, he did his bit by averaging a career high 6.9 assists, while also managing to pour in the second most points of his career at 27.1.
The Suns fixed this situation by signing two floor generals this offseason, and a key stat now backs up their decision to do so.
To get Monte Morris on a minimum deal was a nice piece of business by the organization. To then follow that up with the addition of Tyus Jones on another minimum contract ranks as one of the best gets all summer. Jones is perhaps the best backup point guard in the league, and he might even start games down the road as well.
There will be discussions down the road about what this means for Beal's role with the starting group - not to mention how it impacts Grayson Allen - but in one important area, the Suns are now in a much better place. Check out this incredible stat that belongs to Jones and Morris.
The NBA began tracking individual turnovers in 1977-78.
— Xin Varlock (@XinNBA) July 28, 2024
Only two players have had a career AST to TO ratio over 5.0:
1) Tyus Jones: 5.56 (2,593 AST to 466 TO)
2) Monte Morris: 5.04 (1,437 AST to 285 TO)
Literally the best AST to TO players in NBA history.
Last season the Suns had a major problem taking care of the basketball. On many occasions they would seemingly just throw it away, failing to execute when they really needed to. A large part of the reason for this was without a traditional floor general, no one player seemed to feel the responsibility of looking after the ball.
Booker certainly tried, and it wasn't like Kevin Durant was just giving it to opponents. But with no focal point - oftentimes when a possession broke down and it became about salvaging the play - there was no player to dump the ball to in order to start again.
During the regular season, the Suns coughed up the ball 14.9 times per game. That ranked 25th in the league, with the five organizations below them all featuring as lottery teams during the NBA Draft. Not good company to be a part of.
Once the playoffs began, that number shrunk slightly to 14.3, but was only better than the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Pelicans. Two other teams who were also sent packing in the opening round of the postseason. But the addition of quite literally the two best assist to turnover ratio players of all time is going to be a massive boost.
The Suns will now have 48 minutes each night of guys out there who can take care of the ball, whether that's with the starters or second unit. To have secured Jones and Morris while in the second apron is among the most impressive feats this front office and owner Mat Ishbia have pulled off.
This group will only go as far as their trio of stars takes them - but in remedying their turnover issue in such as successful way this summer - it is clear the Suns are working hard to fix their mistakes of last year. They have a new head coach, a better roster and now two actual point guards to take care of the basketball. They've even got the key stat to back that fact up.