The Phoenix Suns, led by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, are a strong candidate to win the NBA championship this season. The Suns are presently the sixth seed in a competitive Western Conference with a 37-26 record. Phoenix also boasts a strong supporting group surrounding them, which is impressive given their extraordinary star power. So much so that Suns owner Mat Ishbia has already made it known in the public that he wants to re-sign Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen, two important role players: “… Grayson and Royce are two great guys. Royce is new to the organization, has done an amazing job, everything you can think of, and Grayson has been here all year and has been a phenomenal part of the team and the organization. We hope and expect to have both of those guys back, along with keeping this core team together because we love our team and we’re going to compete at the highest level and hopefully in the playoffs very soon, we can see them all play together.”
As part of the historic three-team transaction that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks this past offseason, Allen joined the Suns. Allen is enjoying the finest year of his career in his debut campaign with the Suns. Allen has averaged 13.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over 33.5 minutes per game in 57 games played, all of which he has started. The former Duke player is also shooting a league-best 47.5% from three-point range and 49.7% from the field. These are all career-high figures for the 28-year-old. Asked James Jones about Grayson Allen and a potential extension. He first joked, “You’re asking me to project 5 months from now?” Then: “We don’t want him to go anywhere, which is why he’s here. There’s plenty of interest in Grayson Allen, but no one values him more than we do”
The Suns acquired O’Neale from the Brooklyn Nets at the In 11 games with the Suns so far, O’Neale is averaging 10 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Additionally, O’Neale is a stellar defender who provides versatility and hustle on that side of the ball. O’Neale was one of the more coveted players at this year’s Trade Deadline, and it’s easy to see why. The way he can make his presence felt and impact the game is valuable for any team in the title picture.
