Tyus Jones is embracing an ugly chapter in Suns' history

There's no doubt about it, the vibes around the Phoenix Suns off the back of media day and the first couple of days of training camp have been very positive. Obviously that could quickly change if they get off to a poor start to the season - although they recently got some help in that area - but for now at least, there's reason for optimism.

One of the key factors in this being the case is the introduction of point guard Tyus Jones to the group. A player who at media day Devin Booker revealed that his teammates with the national team over in Paris at the Olympic Games could not believe the Suns managed to land on a minimum contract.

Jones is not shying away from an ugly chapter in franchise history either.

The 28-year-old will be going straight in as a starter for a team that won 49 games last season, with Grayson Allen making way and coming off the bench. Despite having a career year himself last time out, Allen is most certainly cool with his new role. Then again - given his insane body transformation this summer - he could force his way back into a starting spot in a new role this season.

Joining the starting group will mean playing alongside Booker and Bradley Beal - and while offensively that is going to work really well - it also forces the organization to revisit a difficult time in their history. We're talking of course, about the infamous three point guard rotation that featured Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas, who was back for a spin again last season.

That didn't end as badly as you might remember - except for the whole "I don't want to be here" thing - although it is certainly a period in their history they have no interest revisiting. Only with Jones onboard they now have to, but he was comfortable tackling the defensive question marks of their three-guard lineup head on, as he told the assembled media at training camp that;

"We're gonna have to compete, it starts with one-on-one defense, but it's also team defense. You got to have each other's backs, communication, play hard." Everything Jones says here sounds great and is exactly how the team should be approaching defending as a group. But when you read his quote again, Jones didn't really say much of anything did he?

Obviously the Suns are going to try hard - and they surprised many by finishing 12th in defensive rating last season - but that was with a head coach in Frank Vogel who was really tuned in to that end of the court. The franchise also got healthy seasons from both Durant and center Jusuf Nurkic - who somehow played the most games of anybody on the roster - and that is not a guarantee this season.

Not only that, but the 53 games Beal managed might have actually helped them defensively, as Allen naturally can guard more players. With Royce O'Neale also having been added at the deadline, these are all options the Suns can turn to if their three-guard experiment isn't working. Not that Jones thinks they need them, and he's right to emit confidence.

But the reality is he is undersized even for a floor general, while Beal has never been known as a lockdown defender. He actually showed a lot of willingness and athleticism on that end last season, but expecting him to be a two-way force for 82 games is unrealistic. Booker though could be about to have the best defensive showing on what will be his 10th year in the league.