Grizzlies pushed hard for reunion with beloved former player, per reports

According to recent reports, the Memphis Grizzlies were pushing for a reunion with a fan-favorite former player this summer.

Per Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro, there were a few notable teams who were in the running for the services of free-agent point guard Tyus Jones this summer, including the Atlanta Hawks, Grizzlies, and Phoenix Suns.

In the end, the latter wound up landing the veteran via a one-year, $3.3 million deal, though, as noted by Gambadoro, Memphis actually had shelled out a more lucrative offer in an attempt to reunite with the likes of Jones.

Grizzlies offered Tyus Jones more money than Suns this summer

Jones, who was traded from the Grizzlies to the Washington Wizards last offseason as part of the multi-team deal that landed Marcus Smart in Grind City, is coming off a tremendous 2023-24 campaign.

Through 66 games in his first season as a full-time starting one, the 28-year-old went on to post career-high averages of 12.0 points, 7.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds while shooting a highly efficient 48.9 percent from the floor and 41.4 percent from deep.

Jones would also prove to be one of the most effective and reliable set-up artists in the entire association in his role out in D.C., as he led all guards in assist-to-turnover ratio (7.35) and was eighth at the position in assist percentage (33.1) out of those who logged 50 or more games on the year.

Though seeing Jones make a return to Grind City would have been an incredibly entertaining and heartwarming turn of events for Grizzlies fans to see, ultimately his decision to sign with the Suns appears to be the best move for the point guard himself.

While he would have been relegated back to the bench if he returned to Memphis, in signing with Phoenix the floor general has a legitimate opportunity to earn the starting point guard position within a title hopeful's rotation flush with star power with the likes of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.

As made clear during their lackluster showing during last season, the Suns were in desperate need of a "quarterback of the court"-esque talent who can serve as a primary ball handler and orchestrate plays that, with some savvy vision and passing abilities, would lead to quality and uncontested scoring opportunities.

With his displays of excellence while with the Wizards and during years past with the Grizzlies when filling in for the likes of Ja Morant, Tyus Jones could very well be the perfect option to provide these types of attributes.

At the price GM James Jones landed him at, there's an argument to be made that Phoenix may have gotten the biggest steal of this summer.