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The Suns traded for Chris Paul and Abdel Nader, drafted Jalen Smith and signed free agents Langston Galloway, Damian Jones, E’Twaun Moore and Jae Crowder. They also agreed to a camp deal with Johnathan Motley and inked undrafted guard Ty-Shon Alexander.
Phoenix now has a roster that stands at 16 players.
We have written on most of these players and what they bring as the moves have been announced. Two have not been talked on too much. Nader will provide wing/forward depth and Motley has spent the last three seasons bouncing around between the G-League and NBA but is a scrappy small-ball center.
Something we’ve all been waiting for is to see what numbers all these guys will wear on their jerseys. Well, now we know.
Chris Paul – 3
I mean, this one was pretty much a given. CP3 keeps his career number. James Jones in a way turned Trevor Ariza (#3) into Kelly Oubre (#3) into Chris Paul (#3). Who will wear it best? Well, as much as fans will miss “Tsunami Papi”, my bet is on the future Hall of Famer we just acquired. Everyone knows Jared Dudley is the GOAT but I think even he will agree that Chris will now be the best player in Suns history to wear #3.
Abdel Nader – 11
He will keep the number he wore while playing for the Thunder and the one Ricky Rubio wore while in Phoenix. Nader becomes the 18th player in Suns history to wear #11.
Jalen Smith – 10
The tenth pick in the draft will wear the number ten. Hmm. I wonder if there’s any correlation. He wore #25 while playing college ball at Maryland. Seems like a good question to ask him. Smith becomes the 23rd Sun to wear #10. Leandro Barbosa is the best to wear it. Sorry, Sam. I see Shaq Harrison wore it too.
Jae Crowder – 99
This will officially be the highest number worn on a Suns jersey in franchise history. Before this, Hamed Haddadi wore #98. Crowder wears #99 like his best friend who wore it on the football field as a defensive lineman at Faulkner University. To honor him, he brings that gridiron toughness and mindset to the hardwood.
Damian Jones – 30
Jones wore #30 at Vanderbilt and on the Hawks. Eight players have donned the number in franchise history with the latest being Troy Daniels in 2018-19.
E’Twaun Moore – 55
Moore becomes the ninth Sun to wear #55 and it wouldn’t take much for him to become the best player in franchise history to put it on. He was the 55th pick in his draft class and I have to wonder if that’s why he chose that number when he came to the NBA.
Langston Galloway – 2
The sharpshooter is the 18th player to don #2 in purple and orange and he takes Elie Okobo’s jersey number. Did that have anything to do with why the young Frenchman was waived?
Ty-Shon Alexander – 0
Ten other Suns have worn #0 and Jalen Lecque wore it last season. The defensive menace is on a two-way but he could very well earn himself a regular contract if he lives up to his potential.
Johnathan Motley – 12
Motley becomes the fifteenth player to wear #12 for Phoenix basketball. Jared Harper wore it last season and before that it belonged to T.J. Warren.