The Phoenix Suns have lacked a strong sense of direction for the better part of a decade. And as James Jones tells it, he's just just the person to help them find it.
According to John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station, the Suns have begun the search for a new full-time general manager. Jones, one of the team's interim general managers, subsequently told Gambadoro that he indeed wants to continue on in a permanent capacity.
James Jones said that he will be interviewed for the full-time GM position and that he wants the job. #Suns #TimeToRise
— Valley of the Suns (@ValleyoftheSuns) February 27, 2019
The Suns fired longtime general manager Ryan McDonough in October. Considered by insiders as one of the league's best young basketball minds upon his hiring, McDonough's tenure was marked far more by a series of losing trades and wasted lottery picks than on-court success. Among his most notable failures were making power forwards Dragan Bender and Marquesse Chris top-10 picks in the 2016 NBA draft; the former is no longer Phoenix's long-term plans, and the latter was traded to the Houston Rockets over the summer. The Suns went 155-255 during McDonough's five-season tenure.
Jones was named co-interim general manager along with Trevor Burkstein on October 8th. He retired after 14 seasons in July 2017, immediately being named the Suns' executive vice president of basketball operations.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday reported widespread dysfunction in Phoenix's front office, alleging that owner Robert Sarver wants to bring in a more experienced front-office executive to run his team. ESPN also reported that Jones and the Suns have shown little interest in scouting the upcoming NBA draft class, rarely going to games, an accusation that Jones denied.
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