The Phoenix Suns had many glaring needs to fill this offseason, and that was before they traded away Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. With both of those guys now gone, the front office have actually done a nice job of adding some youth and draft picks around Devin Booker, while also at least addressing their two biggest positions of need.
The center spot needed a lot of love, and The Valley got that in Khaman Maluach and Mark Williams. The addition of Williams in particular is a risk for obvious reasons, but you have to admire the organization at least trying to do something about it. Then there is the point guard position, which currently has a depth chart of Jalen Green (supposedly), Collin Gillespie and one other to be decided.
Letting Monte Morris walk for nothing was a strange decision.
It is no secret that Tyus Jones really struggled in Phoenix last season, and it was no surprise to see him run off and join the Orlando Magic at the first opportunity. But if you thought Jones had his struggles - and he went from a starter to coming off the bench as the season progressed - then spare a thought for Monte Morris.
He was limited to just 45 games and 12.7 minutes per night, despite clearly being a better defender than Jones. Really though Morris was never given an extended chance to prove he deserved more run, despite not really doing anything wrong everytime he was on the court. Much like everybody else he fed the ball to Durant and Devin Booker and got out of the way.
Incase some of yall forgot about Monte Morris pic.twitter.com/s5a2DqRlRe
— NuggetsNation (@nuggetsfan4ever) July 1, 2025
Which makes the decision to have Jordan Goodwin and Jared Butler duke it out for the third string spot and not bring Morris back so baffling. This made more sense when the franchise was still in the second apron, but that is no longer the case. Morris remains unsigned as well, and at 30-years-old would be the veteran voice needed on a roster that suddenly looks a lot younger.
It's not like Morris is particularly weak in any one area either, given he can defend some and takes care of the ball really well. He's not an elite 3-point shooter and there isn't even a particular go to move that he has when driving to the paint either. But everything about him is solid, and would have been useful in Phoenix heading into a season in which they won't win a lot of games.
If the previous coaching staff had decided they were out on him that would have been one thing, but new head coach Jordan Ott could do with older guys who have experience to act as his voice out on the court. It seems strange for Morris to leave to zero fanfare - and also to remain unsigned to this point - but there's no doubt he could have helped the Suns next season.