Suns new coach Jordan Ott explains how he plans to prove his talent
Phoenix Suns news head coach Jordan Ott talks about his philosophy and general manager Brian Gregory speaks to why they chose Ott.
The Suns are considering trade offers from multiple teams, including the Timberwolves, Rockets, Spurs, Heat, and Knicks.The Suns are under pressure to rebuild after a disappointing season and multiple coaching changes.
The Phoenix Suns can’t mess this up.
That’s the message Stephen A. Smith aimed squarely at Suns team owner Mat Ishbia on ESPN’s First Take on June 13 to close a segment about Phoenix looking to trade Kevin Durant.
“This cannot be, ‘I’m doing the star a favor looking to move,’” Smith said. “This is about you if you’re Mat Ishbia and the Phoenix Suns. This is about you making sure that you get it right.”
The Suns are expected to trade Durant with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and New York Knicks teams viewed as being in the mix.
“Listen, they could give away Bradley Beal if they could,” Smith continued. “They can’t because he has a no-trade clause. Can’t get rid of him. They’re stuck with him, which is why KD is the only asset you have.”
Smith later said the Suns have to “do it for themselves” and this situation “can’t be about Durant” when negotiating the deal.
“They’re in a pinch,” Smith said. “Phoenix is in a pinch. Devin Booker is the only dude that’s safe there. He’s the only dude they’re trying to keep and they gave away a lot of assets. They’ve got to get some assets back.”
Monica McNutt then chimed in saying, ‘the way that imploded so quickly,” as the Suns were just in the NBA Finals in 2021 and posted the league’s best record the following season with a franchise-best 64 wins.
“Oh yeah, oh yeah, because you got a couple of cats who really don’t want to be there,” Smith said. “And you got rid of two back-to-back championship coaches after one year, (Frank) Vogel and (Mike Budenholzer).”
The Suns hired former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott as their new head coach to replace Budenholzer, who was fired after a 36-win season. Phoenix missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20, which was the last time it had a losing record.
Ott will be Phoenix’s fourth head coach in four seasons as Monty Williams, Vogel and Budenholzer were all fired with Ishbia as the team owner. Ishbia bought the Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury for a record $4 billion during the 2022-23 season.
“This cannot be, ‘I’m doing the star a favor looking to move.’ This is about you if you’re Mat Ishbia and the Phoenix Suns. This is about you making sure that you get it right.”
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Suns looking to trade Kevin Durant.
“It can’t be about Durant.” #Suns pic.twitter.com/SezDPCXq31
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) June 13, 2025
The Durant segment began with ESPN showing Bobby Marks’ hypothetical trade between the Suns and T-Wolves.
Under that scenario, the T-Wolves would land Durant and the Suns receive Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, Mike Conley and the 17th overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft June 25-26 in Brooklyn.
This led to the following question: Would Anthony Edwards and Durant be the best duo in the NBA?
Smith says yes.
“That’s a tough one right there, but I would have to say yes. I would have to say yes, based on what I saw from Ant-Man in terms of his elevation, having the ball in his hands,” Smith said. “It didn’t look great against OKC (Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals) because they were playing a matchup zone. It looked like man-to-man. Had two guys on him all the time.”
Smith credited Edwards for improving his jumper, ball-handling, range and decision making. He sees Durant’s talents, particularly with the ability to handle the ball, blending nicely with Edwards’ abilities.
“Against Oklahoma City, nobody could put the ball on the floor (for Minnesota) other than Ant-Man,” Smith said.
Not Naz Reid. Not Jaden McDaniels.
After saying those two couldn’t do it, Smith didn’t put the same label on Mike Conley, but said Conley isn’t a scorer who can utilize his dribble to get buckets.
“Rudy Gobert, don’t get me started, but you had limitations,” Smith said. “Donte DiVincenzo is not a ball handler. He’s a shooter. You didn’t have anybody who can put the ball on the floor against OKC and that’s not going to cut it.”
Durant can fill that void for Minnesota, Smith believes.
“So to add Kevin Durant, who is a scoring machine who can give you 27 to 30 a night and put the ball on the floor in doing so and to have Ant-Man be able to have someone like that to rely upon. For defenses to have to game plan for KD, which takes some of the load off of Ant-Man, freeing him up even more. It could very well end up being the best duo in basketball.”
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams were mentioned in the conversation for NBA’s best duo, but as a “long term” answer.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and Luka Doncic also came up, but Smith said James and Doncic don’t defend like Edwards and Durant.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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