Phoenix Suns' owner has received a lot of stick for various different reasons since taking over the organization, but it is his insistence on hiring people with ties to Michigan State which were a huge source of ridicule from rival fanbases.
Head coach Jordan Ott quickly put a stop to that, he has been so good out the gate in The Valley that it is impossible to give Ishbia a hard time for that selection. It's taken him less than a quarter of the season, but he has already outsmarted the entire league with this move.
Brian Gregory has succeeded when all thought he would fail.
The addition of General Manager Brian Gregory was much more complicated, the links to Michigan State way more blatant. Whereas coach Ott had been a top assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Gregory was seemingly plucked from obscurity to replace somebody in James Jones who - for all of his faults - had brought success to Phoenix.
Gregory followed up his hiring by... saying and doing very little, but behind the scenes he was working hard. The Suns are now beginning to see the fruits of the moves that Gregory and the front office have made, and it is yet another cause for celebration for the Suns.
The Suns front office NAILED their margin moves this offseason:
— Erik Ruby (@ErikRuby) November 24, 2025
Collin Gillespie on a minimum ✅
Isaiah Livers on a two-way ✅
Jordan Goodwin on a minimum ✅
Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea in the 2nd round ✅
Hell of a first summer for Brian Gregory!
Turns out, he might not be so bad at this General Manager business. The biggest win undoubtedly being trading for center Mark Williams, who looks like a key component of a future playoff group. Then there was the decision to bring Collin Gillespie back on a proper deal, which was an inspired choice.
Developing new talent was also on the agenda, and to this point none of their three rookies in Khaman Maluach, Koby Brea and Rasheer Fleming look like anything close to busts. Not that they will all be important parts of the rotation in the coming years, but you can see the logic in each selection.
Really though it was not getting his pants pulled down in the Kevin Durant trade that has been the true highlight of Gregory's tenure to date. Jalen Green has barely featured, but already Dillon Brooks has helped reset the culture in Phoenix. Maluach was also technically part of that deal too, another plus.
The cherry on top was ditching Bradley Beal, and although the Suns are still in a tough spot with a lack of draft picks coming down the line, the future is already brighter. By keeping his head down and getting to work, Brian Gregory has again proved the Michigan State connection can work in Phoenix.