While the Phoenix Suns were laying an egg in their season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, one of their former guards put together yet another coming-out party for the Memphis Grizzlies.
Ty Jerome, who was acquired by the Suns less than a month after he was drafted in 2019 along with Aron Baynes for a first-round draft pick, put on a masterclass performance in his season opener against the Utah Jazz. He finished with 45 points on 17-of-25 shooting (5-of-10 from 3), with seven rebounds and six assists against just one turnover.
Jerome showed flashes of his burgeoning star status a season ago (his first with the Grizzlies). Though he ultimately played just 15 games due to injury, Jerome averaged a career-high 19.7 points, 5.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in that limited debut.
Even if he’s more of a 20-point-per-game scorer moving forward after going off for nearly a 50-piece, Jerome looks like a legit get for a Memphis team looking to turn the page from the Ja Morant era.
Jerome joins a long list of ex-Suns players flourishing around the league
It’s easy to justify Phoenix’s decision to trade Jerome, provided he was shipped to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the deal that allowed the Suns to acquire Chris Paul. The Suns ultimately reached the 2021 NBA Finals with CP3, but you have to imagine Phoenix now wishes they had held on to Jerome when putting that trade package together.
Jerome’s big night followed the New York Knicks’ championship ring celebration, in which two former Suns players—Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet—received jewelry.
Kevin Durant, who opened his own season feuding with Suns owner Mat Ishbia, dropped 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting in a Houston Rockets win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Additionally, Toumani Camara, who the Suns traded in the deal that sent former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton to Portland, finished his opener with 18 points (4-of-7 from beyond the arc), three assists, two rebounds, and his usual stifling defense against the team that shipped him away.
Meanwhile, the Suns are reeling from an Oso Ighodaro hip injury that could torpedo their season depending on the severity.
A number of players who used to call Phoenix home put together solid outings to begin the newest season. The Suns, meanwhile, put together a performance that simply needs to be flushed down the toilet. It's not worth overreacting to one game, but if it's any indication of things to come, the Suns are indeed poised for regression after a feel-good 45-win year a season ago.
Fans having to watch guys like Jerome, the other Bridges, and Camara flourish elsewhere will make this an especially long season if Phoenix can't flip the script fast.
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