Welcome to the 2024-25 Phoenix Suns Season Preview series, where we embark on a comprehensive journey through the roster. In this series, we’ll break down individual player previews, offering a detailed look at each member of the Suns’ lineup. We’ll recap their performance from last season, highlighting key moments and areas of growth, and analyze how their skills, experience, and roles will contribute to the team’s championship aspirations.

Whether it’s the seasoned veterans or the rising stars, each player has a unique role in what could be a defining season for the franchise. Join us as we explore the potential and challenges that lie ahead for the Suns in their pursuit of basketball glory.

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Monté Morris

Point Guard, 6’2”, 183 pounds, 29 years old, 7 years of NBA experience

Before the Suns signed Tyus Jones, the organization had already made a move to assist in correcting one of their primary issues last year: playmaking. The team signed one of the few quality point guards available in free agency as they inked Monte Morris to a deal with Phoenix.

The point guard who grew up in Flint, Michigan and attended Iowa State University was never the biggest guy or most highly recruited. He ended up as the 84th prospect on ESPN’s Top 100. After being named to the First Team All-Big 12 in 2017, after two seasons of being Second Team All-Big 12, he entered the 2017 NBA Draft.

Taken 51st overall by the Denver Nuggets, Morris spent his first five seasons in the Mile High City. In his sophomore season, after averaging 10.4 points and 3.6 assists in 76 games off the bench, we came in ninth in Sixth Man of the Year voting.

He was traded to the Washington Wizards in the summer of 2022 and to the Detroit Pistons a season later. Halfway through last season, after playing just six games for the struggling Pistons, he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Morris, having navigated the complexities of unrestricted free agency, carefully weighed his options before ultimately signing with the Suns in July. His decision was influenced not just by the potential for a championship run, but also by the opportunity to play a pivotal role on a team that aligned with his long-term vision for his career.

The move marked a new chapter, one filled with both promise and the weight of expectations, as he prepared to contribute his veteran experience to a squad on the brink of something special.

2023-24 Recap

Last season was a tough one for Morris. Not because of his situation, per sé, but because of injury. He suffered a right quadriceps strain early in the season while playing with the Detroit Pistons, which cost him the first half of the year.

There was excitement in Detroit when they traded for him prior to the season. He was coming home to Michigan and was going to be a solid veteran to help solidify the point guard rotation, one that included 2021 first-overall pick Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes.

“It’ll feel nice to have a legit offensive weapon at point guard who can also easily run a team,” Sean Corp wrote for SB Nation’s Detroit Bad Boys, “and handle pretty much anything thrown at him.”

After just 6 games with the Pistons — where Morris averaged 11.3 minutes, 4.5 assists, and 1.3 assists — he was traded to the Wolves. From one of the worst teams in the NBA to one of the best.

Morris arrived in Minneapolis with a clear mission: to strengthen the point guard rotation behind the seasoned Mike Conley. He embraced the role with quiet efficiency, providing the steady hand that the Timberwolves needed. Over the course of 27 games, Morris proved to be the epitome of reliability, posting 5.1 points and 2.3 assists per game while maintaining an almost flawless control of the ball. In 15.1 minutes per game, he turned the ball over a mere 0.2 times on average. To put it in perspective, Morris logged 408 minutes on the court and committed just 5 turnovers. Five.

And when the postseason rolled around, in 9 games played, Morris turned it over just...checks notes...0 times.

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Contract Details

Monté signed a one-year veteran minimum deal with the Suns, which will pay him $2.1 million this season.

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Strengths & Weaknesses

You don’t get the nickname “The Count of Monté Assist/TO” without earning it. Monté is a reliable distributor, averaging a career 5.04: 1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

When he has an off night, it’s usually because his shot just isn’t falling, but you won’t catch him making any boneheaded mistakes or forcing bad shots. He’s like that one friend who always plays nice with others, meshing seamlessly with better players, hitting those open mid-range shots when the defense is still scrambling. Just don’t expect him to go rogue and create his own shot too often.

Every once in a while, though, he’ll throw in a quick, catlike drive to the rim, just to keep everyone on their toes. But his real superpower? Being the ultimate game manager. He treats the ball like it’s a precious artifact, never letting it slip through his fingers. He’s not out here trying to be the main character; he’s all about making the stars shine brighter, keeping the drama to a minimum, and the consistency on point.

Now, defensively...well, let’s just say his size doesn’t do him any favors, and he’s not exactly making up for it with ferocious intensity. This might be a bit of a red flag, especially when playoff time rolls around. But as someone who is slotted to be the backup PG — or perhaps the backup to the backup — he is exactly what Phoenix needs to navigate the regular season.

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One Key Factor

Morris’ production will primarily be dedicated by the health of his teammates. We may not see too much of him, and that may be a good thing. He’s only here on a one-year deal, most likely searching for a chance to get another payday and/or looking for a ring. If Phoenix is healthy, he’ll be a bench guy.

But we know Phoenix isn’t going to be healthy.

Morris will get his chance, and when he does, he’ll be solid. He’ll negate turnovers and run the offense appropriately. It’ll cause a stir, for when health returns, the Morris Truthers will gather in the town square. One guy will have a rhythmic drum beating, as the comments begin:

“We need to play Morris!” “Where’s Monté in the 4th?” “Bud’s an idiot!!!”

It’s a good problem to have.

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Prediction Time

Let’s put some numbers in the Voita Predictor 3000 and see what it spits out:

59 games played, 5.2 PPG, 3.5 APG, 0.3 TOV, on 46/38/81 shooting splits

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Final Thoughts

I’m thrilled to see Morris on this team. He’s exactly the kind of under-the-radar signing that can quietly add two or three wins over the course of a season. And in the hyper-competitive Western Conference, where every game can tip the scales, those extra wins could be the difference between landing the sixth seed or pushing up to the fourth. It’s the kind of move that might not make headlines but can have a profound impact when it matters most.

I can’t wait to see how he fits in with the Suns, especially when the pressure’s on and those subtle contributions start to add up. There’s something about his game that feels like it’s built for those pivotal moments when every possession counts.

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Read other 2024-25 Player Previews right here: