The past two and a half years haven't been kind to the Phoenix Suns. The Kevin Durant trade was a turning point, but not for the reason fans hoped. It was the beginning of a series of questionable decisions made under owner Mat Ishbia, a trend that has continued since the Suns' season ended.
Phoenix promoted Brian Gregory to GM, replacing James Jones, and hired Jordan Ott as head coach, replacing Mike Budenholzer. What do Gregory and Ott have in common? Gregory was on Tom Izzo's staff at Michigan State when Ishbia was a walk-on, and Ott served as a video coordinator for the program from 2008 to 2013, earning his degree in the process.
It's too early to know how the moves will work out. Gregory spent only one year in a front office before becoming GM, while Ott received his first head coaching job after 10+ years of experience in the NBA. He previously served as an assistant for the Nets, Lakers, and Cavaliers.
Ishbia is confident in both hires. On Wednesday, PHNX Sports' Gerald Bourguet reported that the owner emailed the basketball operations team, praising Gregory for how he conducted the head coach interview process, and calling the Ott hire an "exciting milestone." That's not all Ishbia wrote. He said that he will be "extremely active in the decisions and management" after previously "hiring experts, signing checks and getting out of the way."
Mat Ishbia intends to be more involved in Suns' decisions
So, Ishbia wants to be even more involved than he has been, which isn't reassuring to Suns fans who watched their favorite team turn unrecognizable over the past couple of years. Phoenix was in the NBA Finals four years ago, fell in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals a year later, and lost in the second round the following year (Durant's first postseason with the Suns). Since then, Phoenix has gotten worse.
Ishbia doesn't want to send the Suns into rebuild mode, making it clear that Devin Booker will remain in the desert. A lot is riding on Phoenix entering next season, with a new general manager and a first-time head coach. The Western Conference is a beast, meaning it'll be even more challenging for the Suns to secure a playoff berth, let alone a trip to the Play-In Tournament.
The next task that Phoenix needs to check off is trading Durant. The Suns need to get as much as they possibly can in a package, as it will be their only way to improve their roster. Hopefully, Ishbia's desire to be more involved won't hinder a trade. It's not that owners aren't typically involved in major decisions, but contrary to Ishbia's belief, they don't need to be overinvolved. At the end of the day, what the Suns need Ishbia for is to sign checks. He's no NBA decision-making expert.