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PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns today announced that the team has extended the contract of General Manager James Jones.

“We’re fortunate to have a great basketball mind leading this team. James not only has tremendous instinct for identifying talent, but he has an innate ability to compose a roster that is deep with complementary players who make each other better, on and off the court,” said Managing Partner Robert Sarver. “He came in with strongly-held beliefs on what it would take to nurture a championship culture and what it should mean to wear a Suns jersey. We promised fans an elite NBA franchise that would steal their hearts and make them proud and that’s what we have built under James’ leadership.”

Winner of the 2021 NBA Executive of the Year Award, Jones is currently in his third full season in the position as the Suns sit atop the NBA standings with a 37-9 record. After officially being named general manager following the 2018-19 season, Jones engineered a basketball rise that saw the Suns become just the third team since the NBA-ABA merger to jump from a bottom two record to one of the league’s top two records in two seasons or less, completing the ascension with Western Conference and Pacific Division titles in 2020-21. Since entering ‘The Bubble’ in the summer of 2020, the Suns hold the league’s best regular season mark at 96-30 (.762).

“It's a privilege to support our Suns and Mercury players, staff, employees and our fans,” said Jones. “The Valley is a special place and I'm excited for the future.”

In one of Jones’ first moves as general manager, he hired Monty Williams as head coach and the pair has fostered an environment that brings the best out of its players and is now acknowledged as a premier destination for talent leaguewide. The Suns jumped from 19 wins to 34 in Jones and Williams’ first season together, then to 51 wins in the second season and are currently on a 66-win pace this season. Earlier this season, the Suns set a franchise record with an 18-game winning streak after setting a team playoff record by winning nine straight during the run to the NBA Finals last postseason.

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SUNS EXTEND CONTRACT OF GENERAL MANAGER JAMES JONES

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has received the May NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente in recognition of his continued commitment to support youth and families throughout the greater Phoenix area, the NBA today announced.  Each month the award recognizes a player who best reflects the passion that the league and NBA players share for giving back to their communities.

 In May, Booker surprised five local nonprofit organizations at a Suns home game where he announced via an in-game, pre-recorded address that they were the 2020-21 class of the Devin Booker Starting Five initiative. Arizona Autism United, Central Arizona Shelter Services, YMCA of Southern Arizona, GAP Ministries and Elevate Phoenix each received a $100,000 grant from Booker to help address critical funding needs following the pandemic and support their respective efforts to improve the lives of local youth and families.  To further celebrate and benefit the 2020-21 class, Booker and Phoenix Suns Charities created a limited-edition Devin Booker Starting Five hoodie commemorating the selected nonprofits. Designed by Booker, the first-of-their-kind hoodies were available for purchase for a limited time with all proceeds benefiting Phoenix Suns Charities.

 The five organizations are the second class of the Devin Booker Starting Five, which donates $500,000 annually to five different youth-serving nonprofits in Arizona, a total of $2.5 million over the course of five years.  The first class — Special Olympics Arizona, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, UMOM New Day Centers and Ability 360— received their $100,000 grants in late 2019.  In addition to his Starting Five initiative, Booker has provided significant support to youth and families across the Valley through COVID-19 relief and holiday shopping sprees. He is also a Special Olympics Global Ambassador, actively promoting inclusion through sport.

 “From the beginning of my career, it has been important for me to be involved with the Suns organization and the community in Phoenix,” said Booker.  “All five of these organizations better the lives of the youth by giving them opportunities they need to succeed.  I want to thank the organizations for allowing me the opportunity to help advance all of the work they’re doing in our community.”

 In honor of Booker’s efforts, Kaiser Permanente and the NBA will donate $10,000 on his behalf to Special Olympics of Arizona to support the basketball team representing Arizona at the 2022 USA Games. 

 More information and video from last month’s surprise can be viewed/downloaded here.

 On June 8, the NBA will tip off voting for the 2020-21 Seasonlong NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente, an annual honor for a player who has demonstrated a continued commitment to their community over the course of the season.  The Seasonlong winner will be selected from a group of 10 candidates – the off-season award winner, six monthly winners and three additional identified players – and determined by an NBA executive panel and fan vote.  This season, fans will be able to vote using Twitter and Jebbit, a mobile platform specializing in data collection, for a period of 12 days from Tuesday, June 8 through Saturday, June 19.  Additional details regarding the nominees and voting process will be announced in the coming days.  To learn more about the NBA Cares Community Assist Award presented by Kaiser Permanente, please visit http://www.nba.com/communityassist/.

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DEVIN BOOKER RECEIVES MAY NBA CARES COMMUNITY ASSIST AWARD

Today, the NBA and Phoenix Suns released the second half of the 2020-21 NBA Season schedule, a full schedule is attached and can also be viewed at Suns.com/Schedule.

The 20-10 Phoenix Suns currently sit 4th in the Western Conference and will open the second half of the schedule on the road as they take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, March 11 before returning to Phoenix Suns Arena for a five-game home stand.

The Suns’ remaining schedule features eight nationally-televised games total, including four on NBA TV (3/21 vs Lakers, 4/21 at Philadelphia, 4/26 at New York, 5/9 at Lakers), three on ESPN (4/7 vs Utah, 4/25 at Brooklyn, 4/28 vs. Clippers) and one on TNT (4/8 at Clippers).

PayPal SixthMan Season Ticket Members will have priority access to tickets beginning Monday, March 1, for the home matchups against the Indiana Pacers on March 13 and Memphis Grizzlies on March 15. Tickets for remaining second half games will become available at a later date. As an added benefit, fans who secure a 2021-22 PayPal SixthMan Season Ticket Membership will have priority access to 2021 NBA Playoff tickets when they become available. It’s not too late to become a PayPal SixthMan Season Ticket Member, visit Suns.com/Memberships today for more information.

Non-members will have the opportunity to purchase two-person or four-person ticket allotments for socially distanced seating pods beginning Tuesday, March 2, for the March 13 and March 15 home games. Fans can visit Suns.com/Tickets to explore various new ticket experiences for the remainder of the season including Party Pods, Courtside Couches, North End Theater Seats, North End Tables and more.

Capacity is currently at 3,000 socially-distanced fans for home games at Phoenix Suns Arena. The health and safety of fans, staff, players and officials remains the utmost priority for the organization and this limited accommodation is in accordance with guidelines provided by the Center for Disease Control, the NBA and Arizona Department of Health Services, and the undertaking includes numerous steps taken by the Suns working with medical experts to ensure fans have a fun and safe experience. A comprehensive outline of protocols and what to expect on game day to keep fans, staff and players safe can be viewed at Suns.com/COVID.

Fans attending games will be able to enjoy some of Phoenix Suns Arena’s exciting new offerings, including: the Valley’s largest sports bar surrounded by more than 7,000 square feet of high resolution LED walls in the reimagined arena pavilion; Jim Beam Barrel Bar, new concourse concessions, Grab &amp; Go Concessions; and the main Team Shop has doubled in size and will be open to welcome fans before each game.

Once seated, fans will enjoy an enhanced gameday experience headlined by a new center hung scoreboard that is six times larger and clearer than its predecessor, two new LED ribbon boards that ring the lower and upper bowls, an upgraded sound system for crystal-clear audio and Musco lighting that gives our players’ main stage theatre illumination. Lastly, every fan will be welcomed to a new, cushioned seat, as every seat was replaced during the arena transformation.

PayPal Sixthman Season Ticket Memberships

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SUNS ANNOUNCE 2020-21 SECOND HALF SCHEDULE

After helping the Phoenix Suns to a 4-0 record last week and to nine wins in the team’s last ten games, guard Devin Booker has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week for Feb. 8-14, the NBA announced today. 

Booker averaged 32.3 points on 56.3% shooting from the field and 47.6% from three-point range, plus 5.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds in four games, helping the Suns extend their winning streak to six straight overall including wins over the Eastern Conference’s top two teams in Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Booker scored at least 27 points on over 50% from the field in all four games during the week, twice scoring his season high of 36 points.  

This marks Booker’s first career NBA Player of the Week honor and he is the first Suns player to be named Player of the Week since Goran Dragić on Feb. 3, 2014. 

Fans have until tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 9:59 p.m. MT to vote for Booker for NBA All-Star. Fans can vote on vote.NBA.com, on the NBA app, or on Twitter by tweeting, retweeting or replying with either hashtag #DevinBooker or handle @DevinBook along with the hashtag #NBAAllStar. 

The Suns host the Brooklyn Nets at Phoenix Suns Arena tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. MT. The game will air on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station in addition to being televised on TNT. Limited tickets are available at Suns.com/tickets.

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DEVIN BOOKER NAMED WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The Phoenix Suns have signed forward/center Jalen Smith, the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft out of the University of Maryland, and guard Ty-Shon Alexander, a rookie free agent from Creighton University. 

Smith (6-10, 225 pounds) averaged 15.5 points on 53.8% shooting from the field, 36.8% from three-point range and 75.0% from the free throw line, plus 10.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks as a sophomore for the Terrapins in 2019-20. The Baltimore, Maryland native was a unanimous Third Team All-American and a finalist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award as he finished third in the nation with 21 double-doubles last season.

Alexander (6-4, 200 pounds) averaged 16.9 points on 43.1% shooting from the field, 39.9% from three-point range and 86.0% from the free throw line, plus 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals as a junior for the Bluejays in 2019-20. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, he was a finalist for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award and an All-Big East First Team selection as he ranked third in the conference in scoring average, second in free throw percentage and sixth in three-point percentage.

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SUNS SIGN JALEN SMITH & TY-SHON ALEXANDER

A task force including Phoenix Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver and the Suns’ Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges, has been working closely with Arizona state and Maricopa County officials to establish a broad reaching voter engagement initiative for the upcoming elections on November 3, 2020.  

This initiative includes utilizing the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, also known as the Madhouse on McDowell, as a voting center and early voting ballot drop location in order to encourage the greater Phoenix and Maricopa County community to vote. Additionally, all employees of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury will be offered the opportunity to volunteer as poll workers at various polling locations throughout Maricopa County.  

Sarver and the players, backed by the Suns and Mercury organization, believe that the power of vote is critical for citizens to achieve the future they want. 

The task force has worked closely with the offices of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the Arizona State Fair Board to establish the Madhouse as a central voting center location that can be set up to provide safe and socially distanced voting. 

A date is still in the works to accept early ballots outside the Madhouse North Box Office, operated by the Arizona State Election Board.

Note to Media: Talking Stick Resort Arena is not a viable option as a Polling Place or Voting Center due to the transformation project underway at the arena. That venue will not be ready for occupancy in time for the election.

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SUNS & MERCURY SECURE MADHOUSE AS VOTER DESTINATION

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Phoenix Suns Charities donation provides firefighters and law enforcement officers with access to testing to determine their exposure to COVID-19

Today, the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) and United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association began providing their members with testing for COVID-19 antibodies at three locations in the Phoenix metro area. The tests were made possible thanks to an $80,000 total donation from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Phoenix Suns Charities, which was used to purchase 5,000 test kits for first responders. 

The antibody tests are designed to help determine if first responders have been exposed to COVID-19 and developed antibodies for the disease, even if they have not experienced any symptoms. The test results will give first responders yet another piece of critical information to help them understand more about their exposure and risks of spreading the virus.

“As first responders, we take a pledge to serve our communities, but we must also strive to protect our families when we come home after our shift,” said Phoenix Fire Chief Kara Kalkbrenner. “We are extremely grateful for the donation and the continued support from both Phoenix Suns Charities and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.”

The antibody tests results, together with other measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, will assist first responders in better protecting the workforce and Phoenix community. Additionally, first responders who have COVID-19 antibodies can choose to donate plasma or blood to those fighting COVID-19 infection within the Arizona community. 

“Firefighters and police officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our community,” said Pam Kehaly, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona. “Today, Phoenix Suns Charities and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona found one way to thank them for their service. The COVID-19 antibody testing will give our first responders peace of mind whether in the field or at home, so they can focus on doing what they do best – helping Arizonans.

Results from the antibody tests can be provided within minutes. The kits purchased through the donation from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Phoenix Suns Charities will be used to test the 2,262 Phoenix Police Department members of PLEA and the 2,500 members of the United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association, which represents firefighters from Phoenix, Glendale, Tempe, Peoria, Chandler and Surprise. 

“We have a long-standing history of supporting first responders and it’s critical now more than ever to assist those on the frontlines risking their lives to serve others,” said Sarah Krahenbuhl, executive director for Phoenix Suns Charities. “We heard about their anxieties and uncertainties during this pandemic and, along with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, immediately stepped in to help. Throughout the duration of this crisis we will continue to find ways to give back to the community that has shown us so much love and support.”

To learn more about how to support Phoenix-area first responders during the global pandemic, please visit the United Phoenix Firefighters Association at local493.org and PLEA at azplea.com.

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COVID-19 Antibody Testing Starts For 5,000 Arizona First Responders

The Phoenix Suns and Sports &amp; Entertainment Services will compensate part-time staff and hourly workers, including employees that work in guest service relations, ticketing, security, parking and events services who were scheduled to work cancelled Disney on Ice shows and the currently postponed Suns games on March 18th and 21st. Staffing for April events had not been conducted at the time of the NBA postponement.

The health and safety of our entire Suns Family – including players, coaches, full and part-time staff – is paramount but we understand that we are dealing with an unprecedented and constantly-evolving situation and we want to help alleviate the financial uncertainly for those most affected by the current stoppage of live events. The current situation transcends sports and entertainment and we will continue to review and update our policies to ensure that we are fully supporting the entire Suns Family throughout this process.    

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver shared with fans on Thursday that the hiatus would last for at least 30 days and the intent is to resume the season, if and when it becomes safe for all concerned.

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Suns and TSRA Part-Time Staff Policy Announcement

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