Jordan Ott Practice Media Availability | Phoenix Suns | 10-30-25

Jordan Ott Practice Media Availability | Phoenix Suns | 10-30-25

outside of I mean the obvious the turnover what else is looking at okay this needs to be better or or you looked at it and said this was um yeah a little bit of both. Um honestly it’s anytime you put a scoreboard on on a competition that’s what everyone looks at. So I think it’s a little bit of both. I think u some of the positives were did rebound better than in Utah. We kept them off the free throw line, which is has been something we’ve talked about. Started off better first quarter and then obviously the half. Um, yeah, turnovers got us. I think it was just general, not only turnovers. I think immediately after game, you thought it was just the live ball turnovers, their steals, but I think some of it was after a defensive rebound, they got a defensive rebound and they pushed it. Kind of like the end of the game. We didn’t get back. Um, we didn’t get matched up fast enough and Jaw had a little space. um that was repetitive last night. So, some of those things we corrected in film today um offensively, you know, we got to play faster. Um we have got to action faster. We have got uh more transition attempts the last two games. We need to play in an open open court more and then just continue to improve our pick and roll game. I was going to start with that one. Uh yeah, just no no I I knew you were going to ask, so I was going to try to beat you to it, but we’re we’re both going to say both of them are day-to-day. Um you know, continue to make progress, continue to take steps again with soft tissue. You just don’t know exactly where it is. Um they do their work, then we reassess, and that’s that’s where we’re at. What were they able to do today? So today was more offc court for both of them actually. It kind of lines up with our our game game days. Um yesterday was a bigger day than what today was. Um they’re still doing work in the weight room and um actually in the pool. So I’m still able to get some type of workout in. When you watched the last bucket back for Jaw in transition, it seems like it could have just been one of those bang bang plays with Grayson and and Royce or is there an improvement point for you? That’s where it was. I think it a little bit of everything. Like we obviously go to the offensive glass a certain way. Uh Colin was right there on the ball. Um then after that initial pass, like we could have been a little bit better. We could have been a little bit better on job before he even caught the ball. And then when he caught it, there was a little indecision there. So, just one clip on the edit um to where we had multiple transition breakdowns. We have to have an urgency to get back. Have to have a mindset that we know in space is hard to guard, especially him and we can be better. So, it’s not just a oneame thing. That’s been a multiple game thing. Like you were talking about last night, defense was pretty solid. I’m sure watching it back you felt that way even more with all the turnovers and stuff. Yeah, absolutely. I think u you know defensive reading backed it up. Um you know take out the turnovers, make them play against a set defense. Um yep it’s pretty good overall. Again the glass free throw line if we can clean up the transition. Um again take away the easy ones. So that’s that’ll be the goal again tomorrow night. Free throws were like way way off coming into the game and then there were combined four at halftime. How are you juggling that as a head coach right now trying to figure out where the whistle at? Definitely. Uh yeah, definitely. It’s a different spot for me to stand too on the on the sideline. So I I’ll say I it’s just different. Um you know, as you progress through your coaching career, you’re like behind the bench, you have a video front of the bench, you have some people blocking you, then standing up. Um but the guys know when they get fouled. Like they they’re not we really don’t we don’t overexaggerate. We don’t flop. Like we know when we get fouled. So, um, yeah, but we have to adjust whatever the the game is being called. It was both ways last night. Not very many free throws. We had zero at halftime. So, um, yeah, we have to find a way to to quickly adjust and move on to the next play. With how good Grayson and Colin have been playing recently, has there been any deliberation on your part as to Jaylen Green’s role? Is he going to start right away or? No, there’s there’s no deliberation. We we want everyone to play well, so it’s good to see those guys play well. kind of wondering your thoughts on the NBA Cup with that first game coming up tomorrow. It’s a different energy. I mean, this is year three year year one I was in LA. Um, we were able to win it. So, it’s a different energy, a different intensity. The metrics back that up. Um, our guys talked about it today and, um, it’s awesome. Like on TV, you get to see the different courts. You know, it’s a Cup game. I think it’s great for the fans. It’s great for the league. Um, really excited excited to get it kicked off tomorrow night within the team. Is there a sense of pride like hey we we want to start off on a good Yeah I think I think because it’s a cup game but because it’s the next game you know you want to um get back out there especially the way the last two games we’ve been so close and we talked about the energy of we’re one and four but easily could be three and two and just that affects everyone. So, um, came in, got to work, tried to get better today. We’ll get better tomorrow. Shoot around, go out and get back after it. You look at Grayson, uh, he’s gotten a lot of paint touches. Did you know he was that level of just kind of ability to drive and get downhill and kind of get the blender going for you all? I think like yes, part of it part of it is is yes, part of it is um out of necessity at times at this point. Um but I did I remember him especially two years ago playing out of closeouts. He shoots it so well. So how how he plays out of closeouts. Saw some in the summer for sure. He’s coming in great shape. Um like he was one of his goals early in the summer and came in awesome shape. He showed some of that this summer and um I really thought in the second half he was the one that got there uh first and most often it really kind of helped us get some type of paint. We’re talking about paint pressure, like how do we get paint pressure and he was able to drive it. Um, we just saw some of it, but we’re going to keep continuing to allow him to be aggressive, get in the paint, then that’s where some of our turnovers come. Like you get in the paint now, you got to make the right decision. So, there’s a responsibility that comes with it and he’s learning like because it is a slightly different spot for him to be in and um we’re learning his where he likes to get to and how he likes to get there. But overall, very pleased with him his ability to get there. With Mark, that was probably some of the best defensive tape we’ve seen. in the league as far as like passing lanes and except for him using his hands in that kind of way with the wings span. He was everywhere last night. Both. Yeah, like the passing lanes in the pick and roll. He switched out a couple times. He has shown that ability to switch out and be on the perimeter. Um we just have to be cognizant of if our 7 foot one guys on the perimeter what that does on our backside. So picking and choosing those spots. But yeah, I just told him like he’s just continues to raise the bar like that is that’s that’s your standard right now. just did it back toback games. Now you got to do it again. That that’s NBA high level basketball and uh yeah, we feel really good with where he’s at early in the season without playing any preseason and not much practice time. So he it’s really good sight to see. You talked about your different vantage point on the sideline now. I only saw it the first game like in warm-ups 90 minutes before the game that you’re out on the court. I feel like I don’t see many of the head coaches do that. Is that something you’ve continued to do and what makes you want to be out? continued, but my time before the game has probably shrunk. So, with everything else that’s going on, uh, but I have tried to step out there. That was something I thought about this summer. Um, I’ve seen some of the other younger coaches do it. Um, obviously coach Carlile does it. Um, I think Jordy will for sure. Um, Darvin did it in LA. Um, yeah, like at the end of the day, it’s still it’s a competition. It’s an environment. Everyone gets energy from it. we’re going to be prepared and um that time leading up to the game is is like a part of being in an event and being in the NBA. And um I think it’s interactions with the other staff members in our organization, maybe possibly from the other team, but also our players. And um I want to continue to do it. I hope you can hold me to it that I and get out there, but it is something I made a conscious effort to try to do. Um I just hope I can continue it. What are the progress points for come on in year in terms of like getting to playing time? What are the things you’re evaluating as a coach on a day-to-day basis when elaborating like, okay, they’re ready for the minutes? It it’s going to be strength. I mean, strength is is a big piece to it all. Um, they’re going to get their reps. This is the NBA. Like, it’s going to happen. Like, whether it’s the next game or in two weeks or in a month, they’re going to get a chance. Um, we want their time on the court when they’re in their state ready games to matter and they’re going to have eyes on them in their state ready games. We’re going to coach it like it’s a high level training camp, early season practice. So, um, every rep, every rep matters for those guys. They may not be playing in the game that you guys see, but they’re playing in the game the day after, and that means something. So we’re going to conscious or constantly be evaluating them in any scenario that we can see it even if we don’t have the data to help us because just the sample size would be so low.

Head Coach Jordan Ott speaks with media following practice on October 30th, 2025. The Phoenix Suns’ next game is on October 31st, 2025.

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