Can Suns become what Nuggets are right now?

Suns' 2017-2018 season

Scott Bordow | The Republic | azcentral.com

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

MEMPHIS – Marquese Chriss, a basketball still in his hands, leaned against the scorer’s table here and tried to explain himself.

Two weeks ago, as the Suns were about to scatter for the All-Star break, Chriss made some cryptic comments to azcentral sports about his attitude, both on and off the court.

“I just think there’s some things I need to face and need to correct and just do it as fast as possible,” Chriss said. “There’s a lot of stuff going on. I’m just trying to get the most out of the situation I’m in and just try to persevere through a lot of things that are going on.”

Those things, Chriss revealed Wednesday after the Suns’ morning shootaround, prompted long conversations with General Manager Ryan McDonough and interim coach Jay Triano during the All-Star break and, more importantly, Chriss re-evaluating himself professionally and personally.

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“Honestly it was just me being grateful that I’m in the NBA,” Chriss said. “I think I was taking it for granted, and I was upset and I didn’t really acknowledge the position I was in. I think just time away from it kind of helped me re-evaluate where I was at with my mindset.”

Chriss admitted he was disappointed by the way he was playing – he's scoring 6.7 points per game compared to 9.2 last season and shooting 39.9 percent from the field compared to 44.9 percent – and having to come off the bench after starting 75 games last season under then-coach Earl Watson.

“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bother me,” Chriss said.

Chriss acknowledged his frustration led to bad body language on the court and an inability to properly handle adverse situations. Chriss had a verbal altercation with Phoenix’s strength coach after the Suns’ game against Utah on Feb. 2, and he did not play against Charlotte on Feb. 4.

“I was upset at myself and I think I was making that obvious,” Chriss said. “I was upset with the way I was playing. I wasn’t playing well and it was holding a weight over my head.”

Triano said Chriss’ anger and frustration was so obvious that both he and McDonough felt it was necessary to have one-on-one conversations with the second-year forward over the All-Star break. Triano wouldn’t reveal specifics of his conversation with Chriss other than to say: “I kind of told him what I thought and aired it all out. I went after him pretty good.”

Chriss said Triano and McDonough, while being candid, expressed their support for him.

“I let them know that I was trying to get better,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing for me, just trying to develop myself on and off the court.”

Chriss said he also spoke at length with his mother and girlfriend and that he’s spending more time reading his Bible to try to improve his mental health.

“That’s the biggest thing for me, being able to read my daily verses and just take time away to focus on my own health and mental development,” Chriss said. “I was hurting myself before. I wasn’t focused. I wasn’t mentally stable. I don’t think it’s anything that I need help with. It’s just something I had to re-evaluate myself and, like I said, be grateful for the position I’m in.

“People say the first and 15th (players receive their paychecks on the first and 15th of every month) always come, but it’s bigger than that. I wasn’t as happy as I wanted to be.”

Chriss hasn’t put up big numbers since the All-Star break – he’s averaging 4.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game – but Triano said his attitude and body language have improved.

“He just has to keep it up,” Triano said.

That’s Chriss’ goal as well, even if he has to come off the bench the rest of the season.