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James Jones Post 2024 NBA Draft Round 1 Media Availability. | Phoenix Suns



James Jones Post 2024 NBA Draft Round 1 Media Availability. | Phoenix Suns

hey James thanks for taking the time uh just wanted to get your thoughts on what you guys were able to accomplish tonight in terms of trading down through 22 picking up the extra three second rounders and still getting a guy that you liked who was there earlier in the draft in Ryan Dunn uh I thought tonight was a good night for us uh we came into the game uh to the draft with a couple of objectives uh we wanted to get more athletic um defensively on the perimeter we wanted to add some size um and some Youth and I I thought that we were able to do two things tonight get the player that we wanted uh move him back and pick up uh other assets and capital for the future to continue to allow us uh to have more resources to build the team for the long term next up is Kellen olon with Arizona Sports followed by Brendan now hey James good to be speaking with you tonight I was curious with dun specifically with the numbers for him shooting at Virginia I was wondering during the workout process what you guys saw to have some faith in him as a shooter long term because as we know the defensive potential for him is is pretty large um no he’s you know he’s improving and and what he was asked to do at Virginia was to defend and you know he relied on his athleticism um the shooting isn’t where he he wanted it to be or where we think it will be in a few years um but he’s an impactful player and and and great players find a way to impact the game um not just with the offensive box score and so I’m confident with our our staff with Bud our coaches uh that will allow him or will he’ll be uh primed to improve as a shooter and if he could if he can do that and do it quickly I think we found a gy next up is Brendan ma with burn City Sports Brendon sorry about that um yeah James so have you had any conversations with since he got drafted and we were conversations with him like beforehand that you saw this bit working out with him um yeah so we spoke to him I spoke to him uh post draft he’s excited he can’t wait to get here um I I know how um how badly he wanted to be here in Phoenix we had some some time during the draft process when he worked out for us to sit and talk for 30 minutes just about um his journey as a player and and and what he needed to do uh to be effective on his level and you know I think it goes without saying if you ask as coaches as opponents the kids a tireless worker and and I’m I’m fairly confident with this team um with the players that we have the coaching staff that it’ll be a great fit for him and he saw that fit and uh most importantly uh he was adamant like his his desire is to become an elite defender in this league first and foremost and that’s something that uh that I think we could we can really uh benefit from next up is Dwayne Ranken with the Arizona Republic thank you uh Jame just just really quick a couple things one when you look at d as a Defender uh what you guys dealt with with McDaniels last year in the playoffs from the Timberwolves you see similarities in terms of him being able to be that kind of impact on that end the way McDaniels was for the for for the temp for the T wolves no I mean he’s different I think uh you have to give jayen McDaniels I mean you have to give McDaniels credit um he’s about n a crazy um tenacious Defender um who’s who’s had an opportunity to to really grow uh but I I see a ton of potential on Ryan um I think for him uh he’s a little bit shorter and and I think that’ll allow him to navigate screens um a lot better as a younger player um but if if that’s where he he if that’s where he progresses to um that’s the goal for us to have an elite lock down Defender at least someone that can take the challenge every day and make it extremely difficult on the opponent’s best best score another thing I just had obviously with the draft um being the the focal point but with what what’s been out there as far as with Kevin Durant in terms of you know looking at will they’re saying it if po that he wanted out and then there’s nothing there got that down I’m just curious what you what you see with all of that nothing I mean it’s it’s the question it’s the topic of discussion it’s the stuff that gets clicks and that everyone wants to talk about but I think I said it specifically back on May 19th when I was asked are we trading Kevin Durant I said no then I’ll say no now um I’ll continue to get answered ask the question um but that’s the NBA that’s what makes the NBA in the draft um and everything around it um the offseason that’s what makes makes it interesting for the fans so I I get it and understand it and and I don’t take it personally we just keep moving uh committed to to building this team and winning a championship next up is Dana scottt with the Arizona Republic hi James uh just wanted to know if uh donon Holmes I know that you made the selection for him before you moved him uh to Denver but was his being a HomeTown kid in Phoenix uh did that play a factor in selecting him or or just the fact that he’s the last one since 8 in to be selected from by Phoenix being from Phoenix no I mean that that was a part of the trade to Denver um just so you know how it works is if once you agree to a trade on draft night you draft for the other team um and they tell you who they want and you know Denver was high on on Don and uh and they thought that uh he wouldn’t be there so we were able to make a make a trade that allowed them to get the player that they wanted and allowed us to move back and still get the player that we wanted we got time for two more we go to Kell olon with Arizona Sports hey James just wanted to follow up on Ryan’s versatility again just with what he’s able to do on offense and defense and offensively is this a guy that you anticipate using as a screener a little bit with what he can do with his size and then defensively I imagine you anticipate he can defend guards like the position versatility range yeah I think you’ll see once once we get into the season um I think he’ll do a lot of that I mean I think that’s the versatility one that he provides but then two the versatility of our offense I think you’ll see we want all of our guys to be screeners uh you create mismatches sometimes with with with guards screening on bigs Big screening on guards and guard screening for each other and so he’s just one of those guys that if you do get him in the screening situation he has the athleticism and the burst to be able to get to the rim and finish last question is going to be Cameron Cox with 12 News hey James hope all is well uh I got two for you real quick just what’s it been like to work with Mike and kind of have him along and kind of just build this thing and then second just so everybody can hear it what is the relationship with KD and how much have you enjoyed working with him over this time and how much you enjoy looking forward to what you guys can do uh I’ve been I’ve enjoyed I mean Bud’s been awesome um I’ve always had a ton of respect for Bud um as a competitor uh but now being able to sit on this side of it I truly see why he’s one of the NBA’s uh best coaches and uh why he’s had so much success um he loves it he loves everything about it he loves his his guys and so um the passion that he has for you can’t fake it and then with Katie it’s all love it’s all it’s all good um like having a chance to work with one of the all-time greatest players um and and the success that we’ll have going forward um is what you what you live for it’s what you uh Embrace and what you want so um like I said really excited about the team that we’re building um Upstairs Downstairs and everywhere in between and just looking forward to the season all right thank you James thanks guys

Phoenix Suns General Manager James Jones speaks to the media following the Phoenix Suns selection of Ryan Dunn in the 2024 NBA Draft.

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10 Comments

  2. @mellamohazy

    Imagine before getting Drafted having the Desire to be an Elite Defender in the NBA

    And then you get Drafted to a Team where you have the Privelage to get Defensive Reps against Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal 🔥

    Ryan bought to get some GOOD Productive Competitive Work in 💯

  5. @jeffchronister4092

    James jones actually set his ego aside and made a very good draft decision. Now, we still need to address the backup pointguard/ playmaker and athletic backup center issues.

    We are almost there. Tomorrow is the second round of the 2024 draft. Kolek is actually still draftable. We all know what he can do and how he'd fit. Here are a list of pointguards and bigs we could choose from . Juan nunez- offensively he reminds me of tony parker in that he's very difficult to stop shooting or slashing into the lane. He's 6-4 and a gifted playmaker similiar to kolek. Ajay mitchell- a very skilled and crafty scorer and shooter that is a clever passer and works hard on defense. He reminds me of jamal murray when i look at his mid-range game and form. Tristan newton- a two time champion with uconn, he's 6-5 and is very solid at everything. He can pass,shoot,get in the paint and score or create and is a tough defender. I'd compare him to kenny smith, the former rockets guard. Zyon pullin- a slick ball-handler and scorer he is a good playmaker but where he really shines is his iso scoring. He's 6-4 and i'd compare him to brandon knight but a better passer. The last pointguard is jamal shead- he's only 6-2 but strong and athletic. A very aggressive and elite defender. He plays with intensity and energy . He can shoot and pass well enough. I'd compare him to jevon carter.

    Now for the bigs- kyle filipowski- A very skilled seven footer with good footwork and decent athleticism. He is more of a finesse scorer rather than a defensive presence. If the suns took him i'd put him as backup power forward. I'd compare him to frank kaminsky. Oso ighodoro- a long,athletic 6-11 forward /center. He is a solid rebounder and shotblocker that can pass and score inside. I'd compare him to a taller, more athletic boris diaw because of his versatility. Adem bona- a rugged and explosive forward/ center that runs the floor well and really defends the paint. He is basically bismack biyombo 2.0. Enrique freeman- a quick and athletic power forward/ center that hustles for every rebound, uses his length to block shots and score inside. He is a less talented version of larry nance jr. Ulrich chomche- he is somewhat raw but very long, athletic and physical . His footspeed getting back on defense is impressive. I'd compare him to a young serge ibaka. Last is tyler smith- He needs strength but is ultra- athletic and can shoot and defend very well. You could say he's a poor man's chris bosh. That's still pretty good for a backup.

    So, the suns still have options and can fill the remaining needs on the roster if they want. Maybe kolek or juan nunez paired with dunn. Or tyler smith or ulrich chomche.

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