For most free agents, the three biggest priorities in choosing their next team are money, money, and then money.
Tyus Jones is the exception. The 10-year point guard had bigger offers on the table this summer — including one from the Knicks or deals that could have kept him in Washington — but signed a $3.3 million minimum contract with the Suns because he could start for a contender, reports Ian Begley on SNY.TV.
But he was considering [the Knicks] Jones has also been offered at least one other offer (roughly two years, $10 million) worth significantly more than the Knicks’, according to people familiar with the matter. There have been sign-and-trade scenarios with the Wizards and scenarios where the Wizards re-signed Jones and kept open the possibility of trading him before the 2025 deadline. In all of those scenarios, Jones would have made significantly more than the minimum, according to people familiar with the matter.
But Jones decided to sign with Phoenix for the minimum (one year, $3.3 million) because the opportunity to start for a contender meant a lot to him.
Jones is betting on himself.
Not only is he starting, but he’s doing so on a high-profile team that will be on national television often, showcasing his skills (Jones started 66 games last season, but for the Wizards, the exact opposite of a high-profile franchise at this point). Jones is also headed toward a Suns team that needed a versatile playmaker to help organize the offense, something very evident in the playoffs. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker And Bradley BealThe Suns don’t lack firepower, but last season they were slow to get into the swing of things and it felt more like a “your turn/my turn” offense. Mike Budenholzer was hired as coach to change that and he’s counting on Jones to be his agent of change.
Are the Suns a true title contender? In a deep West, they are an undeniably talented team with zero margin for error. There are questions about depth and whether there is enough talent around those three stars, but Jones undeniably makes them better and was a steal for a minimum contract.
We’ll see if that gamble pays off for Jones next summer, when it’s time to ink a new deal.
