PHOENIX — Prior to dismantling the Utah Jazz Thursday night, the Phoenix Suns were already motoring along like a well-oiled machine, winning 11 of their previous 14 games.
General Manager James Jones played the role of an experienced mechanic beforehand, performing a tune-up to his roster by acquiring power forward Royce O'Neale and David Roddy in a three-team trade with the Brooklyn Nets and Memphis Grizzlies.
"Royce and David provided us with something that we desperately needed," Jones said. "More physicality, some toughness defensively, and the shooting is something that we always value."
Roddy, who was drafted in 2022 by Memphis out of Colorado State, saw more of an increased role this season, starting in 13 games and scoring 8.4 points per game.
O'Neale spent the past two seasons with Brooklyn, averaging career-highs in 3-point attempts while registering the third-best defensive rating among all Nets players.
Jones credited the communication — both within the Suns organization and outside of it — as the main reason the trade was successful.
"(Kevin Durant) had the utmost praise for Royce, just like most of the guys that played against him," Jones said. "It's great to have the perspective of the players that have to compete against the guy you're acquiring. That tells you that they believe they have the capacity to help us."
The Suns have 30 games remaining in the regular season to prove that O'Neale and Roddy are the two missing pieces needed for the franchise's first championship.
While Roddy's cap figure ($2.71 million) will be the fourth-lowest on the roster, O'Neale becomes the fifth-highest-paid player with a cap hit of $9.5 million, yet another indication of Suns owner Mat Ishbia's continued investment into his team like it's the most valuable basketball vehicle on the market.
"His directive since day one has been we're here to win championships," Jones said. "If that means spending more money, it's just money. If that means more hours, more focus and more time, then we spend it.
"If we're not chasing a championship, then what are we doing?"
The Suns return to action on Saturday when they take on the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena in San Francisco. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. The Coyotes play at Mullett Arena on ASU's Tempe campus.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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