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Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Hall of Famer details what the Suns need to get back on track

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 1/13/24

The Phoenix Suns are eighth in the Western Conference with a 20-18 record. After trading for Bradley Beal over the summer, they were expected to be a perennial powerhouse. However, injuries and a lack of roster depth have limited the team's early chances of success.

Former NBA champion Kevin Garnett believes part of the Suns' issue is that they don't have a genuine point guard on their roster. Instead, Devin Booker absorbs most of the ball-handling duties, which can oftentimes nullify his impact as an elite scorer.

"They need a point guard, bro. That's why that [stuff] looked like that, bro. they need a real point guard. Bradley Beal, let's keep this real," Garnett said. "Bradley Beal is a two. Booker is a two. Guess what they want to do? They want to score the ball bro. I don't want Booker coming down consolidating, I need that [All-Star] cooking!"

.@KevinGarnett5KG and @paulpierce34 go into GM mode to solve what is holding back the Phoenix Suns.

Full episode of Ticket and The Truth is available on our YouTube.#ComingInHot pic.twitter.com/IEQRNpnH7u
— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) January 13, 2024

Garnett didn't stop there. He proceeded to name the player he believes could help unlock the elite offensive potential within the Suns' roster.

"You know who Phoenix need to go get? [Tyus] Jones. ... that [guy] other than Halliburton," Garnett said, "he is prolific when it comes to being effective and taking care of the ball... He does not turn the ball over bro. He don't turn it over."

Part of Phoenix's problem is that they haven't had enough time with their star trio on the floor to work through all of the issues that can arise from having three ball-dominant stars on one team. It's going to take time and reps in order for the Suns to figure out what works for them and how to get the best out of each other.

Yes, adding a playmaking guard could help unlock the team's offense. Yet, it would mean sliding Booker and Beal up a position and playing with a smaller roster. That presents a different set of problems that need to be worked through and figured out.

It's also worth noting that Booker has been developing into an elite floor general over the past few seasons.

The Suns still have the second half of the regular season to get their rotations set and figure out how to co-exist. It's not ideal. Logically, they would have preferred a full 82-game schedule to get up to speed. Still, with the talent on roster and the leadership of Kevin Durant, the Suns can still develop into a legitimate threat in the postseason. Adding a playmaker would be great, but it's not a necessity, even if Garnett disagrees.

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