Keep it simple: How Suns' Royce O'Neale is averaging just one turnover in his NBA career

BOSTON — Keeping it simple for himself and his teammates.

That’s how Royce O’Neale can play 69 total minutes in two games against Toronto and Boston and not register a single turnover.

“I’ve always been told to shoot it, pass it,” O’Neale said. “Sometimes you pass up an open shot, it might lead to a turnover. I think in my case, a lot of times, if I try to make the extra pass, then I’m overpassing. Just making the simple read, try to get guys involved.”

This is the norm for O’Neale. The new Phoenix Suns forward is averaging just one turnover in 26.6 minutes per game over the course of seven NBA seasons (508 games).

“He’s a smart player who understands the value of the basketball, but also knows how to make a play,” Suns superstar Kevin Durant said. “He can play the point guard, play the power forward. He’s smart with the ball. He wants to pass first. When you got high IQ guys like that, they keep that ball in their hands.”

Now he’s only generating 2.4 assists for his career, which is still a 2-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, but going into Thursday night's game at Boston, O’Neale is averaging 3.6 assists to 0.8 turnovers.

“That’s a great ratio,” Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker said.

For a team that’s 26^th in the NBA in turnovers, having O’Neale is necessary to help the Suns take better care of the ball.

“Ball security is important,” Booker said. “Once you get deeper into the season, you understand how important possessions are and you want to value every one of them.”

The Suns acquired O’Neale right before the trade deadline in a three-team deal. Averaging 8.7 points, six rebounds and 1.4 steals in 13 games with the Suns (six starts).

O’Neale has made a strong early impression on the Suns, to the point that team owner Mat Ishbia is talking about bringing him and Grayson Allen back next season.

“Royce and Grayson are two great guys,” Ishbia said after announcing the Suns will host the 2027 NBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix. “Royce is new to the organization, has done an amazing job, everything you can think of, and Grayson has been here all year. He’s been a phenomenal part of the team and the organization. We hope and expect to have both of those guys back along with keeping this core team together because we love our team and we’re going to compete at the highest level.”

Sounds simple enough.

O’Neale and Allen, who came to Phoenix in a three-team deal before training camp, are unrestricted free agents after this season ends. The Suns have their Bird rights, which is critical considering the Suns will have limited roster flexibility being over the second tax apron in the new collective bargaining agreement.

“It means a lot,” O’Neale said. “The fact that they traded for me halfway through the season means a lot. Being an unrestricted free agent this summer, for him to say that, it means a lot. Just how much he wants to win and keep the guys together."

O’Neale doesn’t have nearly as high of usage as, say, Mavericks All-Star point guard Luka Doncic at 35.5%, or Suns teammates Booker at 29.3%, or Durant at 29%. He’s at 13.2%, but that’s also a product of him studying film which helps diagnose situations faster.

“Watching games every day, watching film of myself, of teams,” O’Neale said. “How they’re going to play me, how they’re going to play other guys. Whether you making a pick-and-roll, making room for an extra pass, Shoot the ball, driving it, whether I got a layup or kick it out to somebody who is open.”

O’Neale started really valuing possessions in Brooklyn where he had to play point guard at times. He averaged a career-high 3.7 assists, but also committed a career-high 1.5 turnovers. That experience has helped him average nearly the same number of assists in Phoenix, but fewer turnovers.

“Just making the simple play, making the simple reads,” O’Neale said. “Making the game easy for myself.”

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How Suns' Royce O'Neale is averaging just one turnover in NBA career