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[Phoenix Suns]

Phoenix Suns make it official: Jordan Ott is the new head coach

Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images

The Phoenix Suns are betting on connection over clout with their latest coaching hire.

The Phoenix Suns are preparing to enter their 58th season as a franchise. Fifty-eight seasons of ‘almost’. Fifty-eight seasons of ‘what if’. A history steeped in heartbreak, defined by brilliance that always seemed to fall just short of glory.

Now, the team stands at yet another crossroads.

Since Mat Ishbia took the reins, stability on the sidelines has vanished. Monty Williams was shown the door. Frank Vogel followed. Mike Budenholzer didn’t last more than a year either. And so, as the Suns prepare to name their fourth head coach in as many seasons. This isn’t just about a clipboard and a whistle. It’s about vision. Identity. Alignment. The will to steer a franchise aching to matter again.

And into that void steps Jordan Ott, who was announced as the 23rd head coach in Phoenix Suns history on Wednesday.

The Phoenix Suns plan to hire Jordan Ott as their head coach sources confirm.

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 4, 2025​

The organization has made its call, and Jordan Ott is the choice. A decade of NBA experience accompanies him, carved out across multiple franchises and levels within the league.

Like so many coaches before him, Ott began in the dim-lit back rooms as a video coordinator, first at Michigan State (where he earned his master’s), then on to Mike Budenholzer’s staff in Atlanta. His climb was steady, not flashy. From there, Brooklyn came calling in 2016, where he worked alongside Kenny Atkinson and stayed through the opening act of the Steve Nash era, coaching stars like Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. In 2022, he shifted to Los Angeles, joining Darvin Ham’s Lakers staff, before reuniting last season with Atkinson in Cleveland.

The wrinkle, the one some fans can’t seem to let go of, is that Michigan State connection. The implication being...what? That a video coordinator gig and a graduate degree from the same university as Mat Ishbia somehow taints his résumé? I don’t buy it. And frankly, it feels like a hollow objection. It’s not a scandal for a team owner to want people in his organization who share his values, his approach, and his trust. That happens in every corner of professional sports.

And this isn’t some rinky-dink college program we’re talking about. This is Michigan State, a top-tier, well-respected basketball institution that churns out coaches and players at the highest level. If the loudest knock on Ott is where he cut his teeth, maybe what we’re really witnessing is generational skepticism. Maybe it’s the unfamiliarity of youth, of a new face, of a name without a championship ring already on his hand.

But for a franchise stuck in the rut of chasing yesterday’s names and yesterday’s narratives, maybe that’s exactly what this team needs.

Ott is a young mind with a well-earned reputation for building real, meaningful connections with players, a quality that’s no longer just a nice-to-have in the modern NBA, but a non-negotiable. In Phoenix, we’ve learned that lesson the hard way. The last two coaches who roamed the Suns’ sidelines reportedly struggled to forge that trust, loyalty, and connection within the locker room. And in today’s league — a players’ league through and through — that’s a death sentence.

The days of old-school, hard-nosed coaching have gone the way of the rotary phone. Direct feedback and tough love aren’t extinct, but they’ve been repackaged. You still have to hold stars accountable, but now it’s about delivery: couching critique in relationships, massaging egos while addressing flaws, and building enough equity with players so when the time comes to push, they don’t push back. Monty Williams once mastered that balance in Phoenix before his own favoritism and rigidity cracked the foundation.

After a comprehensive, four-round search that included over 15 candidates, the Suns' ownership and front office aligned on Ott, who joined Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson's staff last summer and played a key coaching role on the East-best 64-win Cavaliers this season. https://t.co/p0RMv8lj9b

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 4, 2025​

Now, Jordan Ott steps in, and while the fanfare may not be deafening, the implications are real. His first order of business will be assembling a staff, a task as political as it is strategic. The irony, of course, is that he’ll likely have little to no say in shaping the roster he’s tasked with leading. The Suns are navigating a labyrinth of trade scenarios, cap constraints, and free agency puzzles that will leave Ott an NPC in the construction of his own team.

What this hire does signal is a philosophical shift. A recalibration. Phoenix isn’t chasing pedigree this time. They’re chasing fit, culture, and connectivity. And here’s the truth: it’s going to take time. This won’t be an instant turnaround. The road ahead will have potholes, speed bumps, and nights when the fan base wants to hit reset.

My advice? Resist the impulse. Give Ott a real chance. Not one season, not two. Give him three years to build relationships, implement his vision, and etch his identity into this locker room. It’s what this franchise needs. Patience. And the lack thereof is part of why they’re still chasing ghosts of the past.

Culture isn’t built in a press conference. It’s built over time, in film rooms, in off-day conversations, in moments of tension and triumph. Let’s not repeat the mistakes ownership has made. This hire is a good thing. And if we have the patience to let it breathe, it might just be the foundation this team’s been missing.

The Phoenix Suns plan to hire Jordan Ott as their head coach sources confirm.

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 4, 2025​

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Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-coach-breaking-news-nba-coaching-change-2025

 

[Phoenix Suns]

The brutal truth about Beal’s future in Phoenix? They don’t want him here

Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images

Per Gambo: “They do NOT want him back.”

The Phoenix Suns have finally filled the two most visible seats at the table: a general manager and a head coach. But now comes the real reckoning. Their gaze must turn inward, toward a bloated, miscast roster in desperate need of salvation. They are paying for the sins of summers past. The wild, hubristic swings made under the intoxicating glow of potential, and the road to redemption will require many Our Fathers, a rosary or two, and perhaps a few stiff drinks to numb the ache of regret.

Chief among those sins is the acquisition of Bradley Beal, a move that felt reckless in real time and has only curdled further with age. Beal arrived in Phoenix two summers ago, dragging a Titanic-sized contract behind him and armed with the rare, player-empowering no-trade clause. It was a deal so universally derided that even the most optimistic Suns apologists could only squint and hope.

The front office, drunk on the intoxicating label of “All-Star,” convinced themselves that Beal would be the missing relic needed to fill the dusty, vacant space on their championship mantle. He wasn’t.

Two years later, the franchise is still buckling beneath the weight of that decision.

The NBA is a cold, unsentimental business, but this one remains personal. A ghost in the machine. The problem now is what to do next. Beal holds all the cards, the no-trade clause a force field against the franchise’s buyer’s remorse. As local insider John Gambadoro has candidly noted, the Suns would prefer he not return.

They do NOT want him back. But he is untradable and if he does not agree to a buyout they may be stuck with him. One of the questions they asked candidates during the coaching cycle was what you would do with Beal. They 100% don't want him and are looking at how to get out. https://t.co/skFOPh7T1r

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 5, 2025​

Preference means little when the ink on the contract has long since dried, and the player controls his own fate. The path forward is murky, and perhaps, like all flawed quests for redemption, it begins with simply admitting the mistake aloud.

It’s an awkward situation. One that, if we’re being honest, I’ve probably beaten to death on this website in a hundred different ways. Through words, rants, sighs, and the occasional existential crisis masquerading as a blog post, I’ve laid bare how I feel about this entire Bradley Beal saga.

And let’s be clear: I hold no animosity toward the man himself. I’ve met him. He’s a good dude. This isn’t about the person. It’s about the organization that allowed this slow-motion car wreck to happen and keeps trying to drive through the debris like everything’s fine. Ishbia continues to try to absolve himself of handling the acquisition. yEaH. OkAy. wE bEliEvE yOu.

What’s maddening is how a player of Beal’s talent, albeit one with a body made of wishbones and duct tape, has become such a source of disdain. Not because of anything he’s done, but because his contract has financially handcuffed this franchise in a way that feels almost biblical in its stubbornness.

If you asked me, in a vacuum, with no strings attached, if I wanted Bradley Beal back next season? You already know the answer. It’s no. His on-court presence is duplicative of Devin Booker’s, and no matter how you try to massage the rotations, you end up with your franchise star playing out of position to accommodate a move that never made sense in the first place.

That contract, one Beal negotiated smartly, mind you, with a poorly run Wizards franchise, is absurd for any team to have taken on. For the Suns to do it, when they were already thin on assets and financial flexibility, was the kind of decision you look back on years later with the same sinking feeling you get when you remember an ex’s name and shudder involuntarily. His presence is the primary blockade to this team’s ability to genuinely retool. It might not be obvious in every possession, but it’s the stick in the spokes of the franchise’s future.

Reports are swirling now that the Suns don’t want him back. No surprise there. But Beal holds all the cards, and the Suns have no leverage.

What they do have is an inflated payroll, a newly minted GM with no experience navigating a quagmire like this, and a gnawing desire to move on from a decision they never should have made. What happens next? Buyout? Buyout and stretch? Pay him and pray? Nobody knows. But one thing is certain: no matter how this ends, the Suns lose. And it’s entirely their own doing.

As they pivot toward whatever this next era is supposed to be, trying to change the culture and identity of a franchise stained by reckless decision-making, it’s going to take years. Not a season. Not a trade deadline. Years. The system needs to be vetted, the waters need to be purified, and the ghosts of poor decisions past need to be exorcised. This is penance now. And the road ahead is long.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

Please subscribe, rate, and review.

Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-problems-offseason-plans-devin-booker-future

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Is ESPN’s No. 25 NBA Draft prospect, French PG Nolan Traore, a good fit for Suns?

Photo by Esra Bilgin/Anadolu via Getty Images

The lengthy point guard comes with a wealth of pro basketball experience.

French point guard Nolan Traore entered the 2025 NBA Draft cycle firmly in most experts’ top 10s, but some underwhelming production this season saw him tumble down boards and into the Phoenix Suns’ draft range.

If you haven’t heard by now, Phoenix is set to pick 29th in the first round and 52nd in the second.

Given its payroll situation, it’d be smart to maximize both picks and find controllable assets who can contribute, rather than parlaying them for established players as has been the habit at times in recent memory.

The 6-foot-5 Traore could be a perfect example of that, given that if he can be a point guard of the future, suddenly Devin Booker has his backcourt mate under team control for potentially the rest of his NBA career.

Playing for Saint-Quentin in the French LNB Pro A — the same league Victor Wembanyama played in his final year before getting drafted — Traore averaged 11.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 22.6 minutes per game.

nolan traore did a good job in this game of weathering a rocky start that included some poor shot selection for him and a 15-0 deficit to start for the team.

settled the offense down, competed defensively and turned things around for a 16-point win. pic.twitter.com/Xrfy11b7uG

— Damon Allred (@iamdamonallred) June 6, 2025​

The assists were the only stat that didn’t see an uptick from his first season in France’s top division in 2023-24 (5.4 assists per game), but his turnovers did come down from 3.1 to 2.5 turnovers.

His 3-point shooting also jumped to a career-high 30.4% this season, including 43% over his last 10 games. He was below 30% each of his prior four seasons, including three in France’s third division before making the jump.

In total, he’s played 158 games of international or professional basketball, offering a wealth of experience that most others in the class, let alone domestically, just can’t. Most of that time was spent as the engine of his team’s offense, too.

So what kind of initiator is Traore?

You know how annoying it would get when the Suns brought the ball across halfcourt much too close to 16 seconds on the shot clock much too often? That doesn’t happen with Traore, as he’s far more interested in keeping the defense on its heels.

He’s crafty enough to capitalize by utilizing every inch and degree of an angle to his advantage. Sometimes that leads to plays on the weirder side, and other times he’s happy to take the easy opportunity.

think the two biggest things that stand out for me with french point guard nolan traore are his pace of play (usually fast) and his understanding of angles, whether they be of the passing or handling variety pic.twitter.com/Qc9BiEaOZO

— Damon Allred (@iamdamonallred) June 6, 2025​

While it’s hard to know exactly what the Jordan Ott offense will look like in Phoenix, there may be indicators in the Cleveland Cavaliers leading the league in offensive rating (121.0) and being top 10 in pace (100.31 possessions per game).

Traore fits the billing for that kind of offense not only with how he pushes the pace, but also with how he takes care of the ball. He’s carried an assist-to-turnover ratio of roughly 2-1 dating back to his final season in France’s third division, three years ago.

It’s easy to imagine him as a transition running mate for Devin Booker, similar to how transition looked at times with Mikal Bridges.

However, Traore has boxes to check first.

Yes, the deep shot is trending up, but a hot streak to end the campaign is the only reason he’s above 30% for a season for the first time in his career. That career sample is a big reason why he would be in Phoenix’s range at all.

He needs to put on some muscle mass, especially on his upper body. This is, of course, true for any teenager in the draft, but it’s become even more true with where the NBA is trending in recent years. Not to mention how much he loves to attack the paint, so he needs the power to hold up.

Saint-Quentin’s Nolan Traoré’s anthro measurements + athletic testing results from the 2025 NBA Draft Combine activities in Treviso:

6’3" barefoot, 175 lbs, 6’8” wingspan, 8’5 ½" reach, 7 ¾" x 9 ¼" hands

Sprint: 3.26
Pro Lane: 10.75
Shuttle: 2.85
No-Step Vert: 28”
Max Vert: 34” pic.twitter.com/9gTACGO9IS

— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) June 5, 2025​

Lastly — and this is another one that’s true for 99% of teenage prospects — his processing can get a few steps quicker. He’s already ahead of defenses, but if his reaction time was even quicker, he could prove lethal for years to come.

Bottom line: There won’t be many talents like Traore as far back as the Suns are slated to, and if he’s there, he’s worth the chance.

A rookie campaign with usage similar to, or even higher than, Ryan Dunn could be enough to set him on the right path, should he come in with a similar approach.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

Please subscribe, rate, and review.

Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ct-french-pg-nolan-traore-a-good-fit-for-suns

 

[Phoenix Suns]

The rumor mill continues to heat up on Kevin Durant’s next team

Photos by Olivia Ramirez/NBAE via Getty Images

Raptors and Spurs the latest team to be in the mix for the superstar.

As we get closer to the conclusion of the NBA season and the NBA Draft, rumors on Kevin Durant’s next team continue to heat up with reports of him possibly going to Canada or Texas. The Toronto Raptors have “been painted by numerous NBA figures as a potential trade suitor for Durant,” according to NBA insider Jake Fischer. He adds that the possibility of the Raptors adding Durant is more likely “particularly if [Giannis] Antetokounmpo doesn’t reach the open market,” which he reports teams are starting to doubt the possibility of.

Additionally, on Arizona Sports radio yesterday, Phoenix Suns insider John Gambadoro reported that the slim reaper told someone he trusts that he might end up with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

Kevin Durant was talking to someone he knows and trusts, and they asked “Hey where might you end up?” And KD replied “The Spurs”, per @Gambo987

(Via @AZSports, h/t @FiestaCityHoops) pic.twitter.com/F2GyQAxYoL

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) June 6, 2025​

Both with top-10 draft picks and a litany of young players, Phoenix has a lot of options on the type of return they’d want for Durant if they deal him to Toronto or San Antonio. While both teams have players who recently won Rookie of the Year, it seems more likely that if they deal with either team, they’d get some of the team’s other younger players like Gradey Dick or Devin Vassell due to Durant’s age, contract status, and injury history.

Stay locked in with Bright Side of the Sun as we continue to cover every angle of the offseason, from trades, draft scouting, to free agent signings.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

Please subscribe, rate, and review.

Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...urs-suns-offseason-nba-draft-2025-free-agency

 

[Phoenix Suns]

The Valley jersey returns, but does the magic still come with it?

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Valley redux is a sequel. And not every sequel is a hit,

Every year, like clockwork, the Phoenix Suns make us wait. The sun beats down, monsoon season rolls in, and we’re still sitting here wondering: What threads are they trotting out next season? It’s become a weird little ritual, one I can’t say I’m fond of. The franchise holds the info hostage until August, maybe September, like it’s some kind of state secret. Why? Who knows. Maybe they think we like the suspense. Spoiler alert: we don’t.

The kicker? Most fans couldn’t care less. Maybe 15% of us obsess over this stuff. The late-night Reddit scrollers, the Photoshop mock-up warriors, the people who know the Pantone code for “The Valley” purple (it’s #5F259F). The rest are just trying to figure out how to stream the games without selling a kidney.

But this year? Something’s shifting. Teams are getting ahead of the curve. Uniform reveals are starting to pop before the confetti even settles from the NBA Finals. And honestly? That’s a win. Let the fans see what’s coming. Let the social team cook. Let the marketing machine rev up while interest is still peaking.

Look at the Orlando Magic. Have you seen their new set? Sleek. Nostalgic. It’s got that vintage soul with a futuristic edge. And the logo? Chef’s kiss. A nod to the past, dressed up for the next generation. The whole thing dropped pre-Finals, when the basketball world’s eyes are still open. Smart. Sharp. Capitalism in its purest, sparkliest form.

Here's a comparison showing the new Orlando Magic jerseys and team logos on the right versus the inspiration for each on the left, from the original team designs from the 1990s.

Full coverage of the new Orlando Magic logos and uniforms right here: https://t.co/ieFbQcQ3fO pic.twitter.com/eExgkkhIA2

— SportsLogos.Net (@sportslogosnet) June 5, 2025​

Let’s not kid ourselves. The NBA doesn’t swap jerseys every year for the sake of artistic exploration. It’s a cash grab. And that’s fine! Just be upfront about it. Show us the goods early. Give us time to love them, critique them, meme them, and — ultimately — buy them. I didn’t go to Wharton, but I’m pretty sure that’s how supply and demand works.

Every NBA team gets four looks. It’s like a fashion capsule. Association, Icon, City Edition, and Statement Edition. For the Suns, the Association and Icon sets are already known quantities. The classics. Home whites and road purples. Functional. Familiar.

But then you get to the fun ones.

This past season’s City Edition was a polarizing remix of ‘The Valley’, a throwback purple uniform with a wild western font that looked like it moonlighted on a saloon sign. The Statement Edition? A black beauty trimmed with the iconic Valley gradient, the letters “PHX” standing bold like they had something to prove. That jersey slapped. Full stop. It was loud. It was slick. And it felt like Phoenix: hot, unapologetic, and built for prime time.

But now those Statement beauties are heading into retirement. No fanfare. No funeral. Just gone. So, what’s next? What will the Suns wear when they want to turn heads without saying a word?

Well, here’s the good news for the jersey romantics and nostalgia junkies: ‘The Valley’ is back.

Not the watered-down reboot. Not the western-font bootleg. The Valley. The one that debuted in 2020–21, took us to the Finals, and made everyone on League Pass do a double-take. The one that dripped with energy, identity, and the heat mirage swagger of a team that finally knew who it was.

"I'm back."

-The Valley jersey

https://t.co/8cPIS0JRFQ

— Suns Uniform Tracker (@SunsUniTracker) June 7, 2025​

The Valley is back.

Not the place, but the jersey. The one stitched with magic. The one the Suns wore while etching some of the most unforgettable moments in franchise history into our collective basketball brain. The Valley Oop. A run to the NBA Finals. A 64-win campaign that felt like destiny in motion. Those threads weren’t just uniforms, they were armor. Worn by a team that played with fire, flair, and purpose.

So, yeah, there’s some weight behind that fabric. It’s not just polyester. It’s legacy.

And maybe that’s why I’m a little hesitant. A little standoffish about this return.

It’s not because I don’t love these jerseys. I do. They’re top-five in franchise history. No question. But what made them iconic wasn’t just the look. It was the moment. The roster. The runs. The sense that we were building something real, something lasting. Now? That magic feels...compartmentalized. Tucked away in a time capsule somewhere between the bubble and the broadcast booth.

It’s like the sunburst uniforms. You see them and immediately think of Barkley, KJ, Thunder Dan, and the 1993 NBA Finals. Iconic, yes. But haunted too, etched in memory because of what almost was. They wore those jerseys for seven more seasons, but let’s be real: everything after ‘93 felt like a cover band playing the same chords with half the soul.

That’s my worry with The Valley redux. These jerseys meant something because of who wore them, when they wore them, and what they accomplished. Slapping them on this version of the team — bloated payroll, undefined identity, no Finals forecast in sight — feels like playing dress-up with ghosts.

Would a variation have softened the sting? A white version, a purple remix, some visual evolution to suggest growth instead of regression? Maybe. But I don’t work in the Suns' marketing department. I just obsess over their decisions like it’s a full-time job. And apparently, across the NBA, the memo has gone out: recycle the glory years. Run it back. Because, frankly, the league seems fresh out of new ideas.

Now look, I get it. Uniform talk probably isn’t high on your priority list. There are bigger conversations to have around this team. Coaching changes. Roster construction. Kevin Durant’s mood. But if you’ve hung around here long enough, you know this kind of stuff matters to me. Design is identity. Identity is culture. And culture? That’s what separates a jersey from a uniform.

So here we are. The Valley returns. Is it going to be better than the original? Absolutely not. This isn’t Terminator 2: Judgment Day. This is Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure. Yes, that movie exists. No, you shouldn’t watch it. But like these new-old uniforms, it’s a sequel nobody really asked for...but we’re getting it anyway.

Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...urn-nba-uniform-reveal-city-statement-edition

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Inside the Suns - Topics: Hiring Jordan Ott, Trading Kevin Durant, Extending Devin Booker

Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

Your weekly Inside the Suns analysis straight from the BSotS community who live and breathe the team.

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team.​

Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week​

Q1 - What is your opinion of the Suns’ process of selecting a new head coach and of the hiring of Jordan Ott?

Ashton: This question goes straight for the jugular and is currently being panned on national, local, and this site articles and comments (over 100 comments – woot!). I am sure most of you have read all about it, so I will not recap.

Ott has genuine coaching bona fides. I respect that. Anyone who works their way up from the ground floor to HC deserves a chance. Unlike a certain GM who seems like he went from the mailroom delivery boy to GM in some badly written Hollywood script.

Jordan Ott’s real calling card is in “player development”. This is what I have been waiting for in the visionary direction for the future Suns roster. Say bye-bye to the veterans and rebuild around a young, talented roster. Though it would be hilarious if Booker were traded after giving his stamp of approval to the coach.

Let’s get to the real meat (or vegan meat) and potatoes of a two-part question that questions “The Process”. Where have we seen this fail before? Ishbia is biting off more than he can chew. From internal memos stating that he will be more involved, basically makes him the de facto GM, HC, and not a de facto owner, as he is in fact the owner. I appreciate the ambition, but last I checked, Ishbia still has a mortgage company to run. I even read of his interest in acquiring a minority stake in the Minnesota Twins some time back.

This is what needs to be monitored by the fans. Micromanaging will burn you out, and let’s see if Matt can handle it while running what was a successful basketball franchise, while a successful mortgage franchise.

For all of the twists and sub-plots involving how the coaching decision was made, Costco has 1000 ft of aluminum foil for $34.99.

The winner in all of this is Michigan State recruiting.

OldAz: I know I have made a number of negative comments and bought into the innuendo of the problematic “Michigan connection” becoming pervasive in the front office. I am a fan of diversity of opinion driving organizations to the best outcomes and this has the smell of the exact opposite. My fear is that “alignment” will give way to an incestuous inability have an original thought.

That being said, Ott may very well be a great hire. I simply have trouble getting there right away when he was not even the lead assistant on the same team as another of the finalists. I personally (from a very uninformed seat) would have preferred Quinn only because of his pedigree of working under Spoelstra for the last decade. I don’t think Spoelstra gets enough recognition for how good a coach he is, and that is a model organization if you are leaning into player development going forward. Again, Ott may be a great selection, but I will have to see it on the floor before I can really buy in. If I see organized offense and defense, along with player accountability and hustle I will be loudly singing his praises.

Rod: I know very little of the man other than what I’ve read and mostly what I’ve read was good. He has a nice coaching resume, lots of experience and the only “bad” thing I’ve read was the Michigan State “connection” to Ishbia. That doesn’t really concern me. I wasn’t a supporter of him for the job in the beginning but I really didn’t strongly support any of the candidates so I’m content to just wait and see how well he actually performs his job before passing any sort of judgement. Right now I’m more concerned about what sort of roster the front office assembles for him to work with than anything else.

Q2 - There are rumors that the Suns are specifically seeking a center as part of the return in trade offers for KD. What are your thoughts on this?

Ashton: I feel like I am being baited into the DA arguments all over again. I had thought this was in the rearview mirror, but here we go again. Suns should have never traded DA in the first place. Are we all good?

What this question is specifically referring to is an SI article that brings up Gobert or Naz Reid as potential trade partners with the Minnesota Timberwolves. I am trying to make Rod’s life easier by not embedding links, but you are all smart fellows, you can find it. (Author’s Note: Actually it was in reference to a tweet I read that brought up this subject. I have not seen/read that SI article.)

The trend is to draft Centers. There is more control on rookie contracts and such. And I see a few good ones in the mock drafts in late lottery (8 – 14 picks and some PGs too).

I say pass. I realize that the KAT for KD rumors are out there with a currently dysfunctional Knickerbockers organization (Why fire Thibs? Why?) but I would draft one. Unless OKC wants to part with Isaiah Hartenstein.

OldAz: I said for a long time before DA was finally moved that the Suns would spend a long time (many seasons) searching for exactly what they gave up by moving on from him. Yes, his contract was too much for his production but that contract is way more palatable than the albatross of Beal’s $50M+ and NTC. Many people were down on DA and call him a bust, but I am sure the Suns would be happy to find a walking double-double on high efficiency that could be counted on for 30+ minutes a game, play good defense and couldn’t be played/schemed off the floor by the other team. They certainly need more players who are actually big and long with NBA front-court type bodies. Now they will continue to search for that Center through this offseason and I fear for many offseasons to come.

Rod: Well, I think that it’s fine for them to let other teams know that this is something that they’re looking for as long as it’s not a deal breaker on any trade proposals. I won’t get into specifics, but I did see a trade idea a few days ago that didn’t include a center but did include a pretty good young SG, which the Suns definitely don’t really need if the plan is to hang on to Book. But who says that trade couldn’t be expanded into a 3-team trade with that SG going to another team that sends a center back to the Suns? Or that player could be immediately flipped and traded to another team in a separate trade.

It’s good to let other teams know what you want back but a really good deal that doesn’t give you everything you really want could lead to another deal that does accomplish that thing. As long as the Suns’ FO remains flexible and takes the best deal they can get, I’m good with that, whether it brings back the center they want or not.

Q3 - What are your thoughts on Devin Booker possibly getting a 2-year $150 million contract extension this summer?

Ashton: I think it is pretty much obvious at this point that Book is being asked to be the leader of the team. Why invite him for input on the coaching search if he was not going to be a future foundation of the team’s makeup?

So, you do it. Pay the man his money, or potentially lose ticket sales and fan involvement. It is basically fait accompli at this point. In the worst-case scenario, Book’s value should hold in a trade in the future if he regresses.

OldAz: That’s a lot of money for any single player under the current CBA. We will have to see how the inexperienced GM navigates around that, as we have very few examples this season of teams with those huge salaries making their way deep into the playoffs. The teams that were in the final 4 certainly had more of a balanced team dynamic to their salaries. Of course those players on the Pacers, Knicks, Wolves and Thunder are going to want to get paid too, so there is no telling what the financial landscape of the league will look like in a couple years and if it is possible to build around a couple players dominating that much of the salary cap. It would be great if Booker had the mentality of a Tom Brady and would play for less to make sure there was enough to build the best team around him, but that is rare and way too much to hope for in the current NBA.

Rod: I can understand the objections brought up by this huge salary commitment but so far it’s just a statement of intent by Ishbia. Will Book just take it and not look back? That a question we still have no answer to. I’d love to see Book volunteer to take a lesser amount to insure more future cap flexibility or perhaps even turn it down and wait another year before considering an extension (he would be eligible for pretty much the same money per year then but for 3 years instead of just 2).

I’m not quite as concerned about it as some, though, because when it would begin in 2028-29 season it would still be at most 35% of the cap then, and presently there are no players on the cap sheet for that season. The Suns would still have almost $189 mil to spend on the rest of the roster before reaching the 1st tax apron and almost $205 mil left before reaching the 2nd tax apron. There’s plenty of time between now and then to plan for that if necessary.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

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Suns Trivia/History​

On June 10, 1977, the Suns drafted Walter Davis in the 1st round (5th pick) of the 1977 NBA Draft.

On June 11, 1993, Charles Barkley of the Suns and Michael Jordan of the Bulls each scored 42 points in Chicago’s 111-108 victory in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. It was the first time in NBA history that opposing players each scored 40 or more points in a Finals game.

On June 13, 1993, the Suns were down 0-2 to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals after losing Games 1 and 2 at home in America West Arena. The series moved to Chicago Stadium, where the Suns pulled off a 129-121 triple overtime win behind Dan Majerle’s team high 28 points, a 24-point, 19 rebound game by Charles Barkley, and a 25-point, 9 assist night by Kevin Johnson. Johnson also set a Finals record by playing 62 minutes, and teammate Dan Majerle set a mark that still stands by playing 59 minutes without committing a personal foul. This was only the 2nd time in NBA history that a Finals game went into three overtimes, the first was played in 1976 by the Suns and Celtics in the Suns' first trip to the NBA Finals.

On June 13, 2021, with a 125-118 win, the Suns completed a 4-0 sweep of the Denver Nuggets in their Western Conference Semifinals playoff series. It was their first playoff sweep since they swept the San Antonio Spurs 4-0 in the Western Conference Semis back in 2010. It was also only the third 7-game playoff series sweep in team history. (The Suns also had 4 more first-round series sweeps, but those were back when they were still best-of-five series.)

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FYI - New CBA Rules​

This is a new feature here that I thought might be helpful or at least a bit interesting. This week I decided to focus on a few new rules pertaining to trades which may have some significance for the Suns this offseason.

1. While 2nd tax apron teams cannot normally aggregate salaries in trades, there is one exception. They are allowed to aggregate salaries IF the trade actually results in the team’s cap total being lowered below the 2nd tax apron.
2. Teams under the 1st tax apron can now take back up to 200% of their outgoing salary in trades where the incoming salary is $7.5 mil or less, as much as $7.5 mil over their outgoing salary for any incoming amount between $7,500,001 and up to $29,000,000, and 125% plus $250,000 of their outgoing salary in trades where the incoming amount is above $29,000,000.
3. There is now a limit on how many minimum-salary players can be aggregated for salary-matching purposes during offseason trades. From July through December 15, if the number of aggregating players going out is larger than the number coming back, only one minimum contract can be included in that aggregation.

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Last Week’s Poll Results​

Last week’s question was “Do you believe that Bradley Beal would agree to a buyout this summer?”

51% - Yes.

49% - No.

A total of 221 votes were cast.

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Important Future Dates​

June 17, 20 or 23 (after the NBA Finals) - Teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents

June 25-26 - NBA Draft

June 30 - Teams may begin negotiating with all other upcoming free agents (beginning at 6 p.m. ET)

July 6 - Teams may begin signing free agents to contracts (12:01 p.m. ET)

July 10-20 - Las Vegas Summer League

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This week’s poll is...

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ading-kevin-durant-extending-devin-booker-nba

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Giannis stays in Milwaukee; let the bidding war begin

Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images

And it should benefit the Phoenix Suns.

All is quiet on the Eastern Front. As teams across the league ponder what their offseason moves will look like, many eyes remain locked on the Milwaukee Bucks and the uncertain fate of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The nine-time All-Star and two-time MVP is at the center of speculation once again: will he stay loyal to the Bucks, or will he seek a trade that could dramatically shift the balance of power in the NBA?

The Giannis domino carries real weight.

And how does this tie back to the Phoenix Suns? It’s simple. There are teams out there who think they have a shot at landing Giannis. And because of that belief, however misguided, they may be holding onto assets, preserving cap space, and structuring their offseason around a pipe dream.

It’s not going to happen. Giannis isn’t going anywhere. He’s staying in Milwaukee.

"Right now, there is no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade market, there is no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade discussions. He has not asked for it. The Bucks are not looking to trade him."

- Brian Windhorst

( @GetUpESPN / h/t @ClutchPoints )

pic.twitter.com/YFYGmeYCaw

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 10, 2025​

And with that news, Kevin Durant officially becomes the biggest prize on the offseason market.

For teams teetering on the edge of contention, those who feel they’re just one elite piece away from making a serious push, Durant represents the ultimate swing. With Giannis off the table and staying in Milwaukee, Durant’s availability could ignite a full-scale bidding war among front offices hungry for a title shot.

And that’s exactly what the Suns want.

No, there’s no trade package out there that will truly match Durant’s offensive brilliance. That’s a given. But the goal is clear: to extract as much value as possible. Quality players, draft assets, flexibility. The Suns have emptied their chest in the pursuit of a super team. Now, it’s about restocking the shelves.

So let the bidding begin.

We’re just over two weeks away from the NBA Draft, the day when the Suns can officially start navigating the trade waters. And with Giannis off the board, the rumors surrounding Durant are only going to intensify. The Eastern Front may be calm.

But the Western front? It’s starting to feel like the woods outside of Foy.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...in-durant-trade-rumors-phoenix-suns-offseason

 

[Phoenix Suns]

New voice, clear vision: Suns introduce Head Coach Jordan Ott

Coach Ott and Brian Gregory holding court during a June 10th Introductory Conference | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jordan Ott wants the Suns to earn trust, build habits, and win the right way.

It didn’t take long for Jordan Ott to make one thing clear in his introductory press conference: he’s here to work. You can check out the entire Q&A here, and there’s a lot to like.

The 20-year NBA coaching veteran spoke with measured confidence, laying out a vision rooted in structure, accountability, and connection. Ott, who arrives in Phoenix with a reputation for detailed preparation and player development, isn’t pitching a revolution. He’s pitching a process.

“You have to be process-oriented in this business. There are so many highs and lows to it,” Ott said. “Are we getting better? That’s what I’m concerned about.”

The Suns are betting that steady, smart leadership can offer the kind of internal improvement the team desperately needs. In a Western Conference where small gains can shift a season, Ott’s emphasis on consistency, habits, and character might just be the kind of low-noise, high-output philosophy Phoenix needs.

New General Manager, Brian Gregory, echoed the sentiment, noting that today’s players are looking for substance in leadership, not slogans.

“Players today want quality,” Gregory said. “They want a coach who’s honest. They may not always like what’s being told to them, but they want an honest evaluation.”

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Trust as Foundation​

Throughout the press conference, one theme came up over and over: trust.

“Initially, everyone will be respectful of the position. But it quickly turns to—‘Can you help them?’” Ott explained. “Once they know you can help them, that helps the relationship. That helps you coach them.”

It’s a player-first approach, but not a player-coddling one. Ott discussed building relationships over time, being present, and maintaining consistency. It’s not hard to imagine that resonating with a Suns roster that has cycled through voices and styles in recent seasons. In Coach Ott’s words: “Relationships are built through trust and time. That’s what we’ll be looking to build.”

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On Development and Drafting the Right Way​

Ott’s identity is firmly rooted in player development. When the topic turned to the upcoming draft and evaluating young talent, his response was more philosophical than positional.

“It’s the guys that have high character,” Ott said. “This is a competitive league, and you have to trust that that player is going to do exactly what they say or it doesn’t work.”

Professional habits—such as showing up on time, treating others with respect, and putting in the work—are non-negotiables for Ott. He believes the combination of consistency and character gives players a chance to succeed in the NBA’s demanding environment. That’s the filter he’ll be applying in the weeks ahead.

“That’s what we want the Phoenix Suns to be about.”

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Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jordan Ott reacts to engaging questions during his introduction as the new head coach for the Phoenix Suns

Familiarity with the Modern NBA​

At 39, Ott becomes one of the younger head coaches in the league, but he’s no stranger to the modern NBA. He’s coached superstars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, worked in analytically driven front offices, reviewed countless hours of game tape, and helped NBA organisations develop players from the ground up.

“To survive multiple years in this league, it takes more than talent,” Ott said. “It takes consistency, professionalism, and care.”

That blend of old-school values and new-school experience could be exactly what this roster needs. He won’t sell dreams. He’ll sell the grind. And in Phoenix, that might be the perfect place to start.

“We’re all competitors—it just comes out in different ways,” Ott added. “Without that fuel, that day-to-day grind of it all, it’s really hard to get better and be successful.”

As Ott settles into the role, the next few weeks will begin to shape what his version of the Phoenix Suns looks like. Questions remain—how involved will he be in the upcoming draft? Who will join him on the sidelines as part of his coaching staff? For now, the message is clear: Jordan Ott is here to build, not borrow.

Is the dawn of a new day for Phoenix?

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ference-player-development-trust-draft-vision

 

[Phoenix Suns]

A quieter press conference but maybe a louder message from Jordan Ott

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Maybe this is what a real culture shift in Phoenix actually looks like.

The Phoenix Suns introduced their new head coach, Jordan Ott, on Tuesday, and with that, marked an inflection point for a franchise in search of direction. Sitting beside general manager Brian Gregory, the 40-year-old Ott took questions from the media with a calm clarity, representing not just a younger voice, but a modern mind tasked with reshaping the identity of this team.

Trust, of course, isn’t built in a press conference. And while words at the podium don’t guarantee wins, being present at the Verizon 5G Performance Center, you could feel it. Something is shifting. A subtle but meaningful energy. Ott was poised, thoughtful, and direct. His focus on maximizing the opportunity ahead was apparent, not performative.

Yes, these press events often leave more questions than answers, but there’s a quiet optimism brewing. Perhaps not a seismic shift, but a strategic one. A sense that the Suns may finally be turning a corner, at least in terms of process and philosophy.

The biggest question now becomes: how?

How will Ott, with this fresh start, scheme and structure a team that has too often fallen short of its potential? Frank Vogel brought toughness and a defensive ethos. Mike Budenholzer arrived with a belief in volume threes and spacing. Both lasted just a year.

Ott’s philosophy? It centers around possession. Valuing each one, understanding its leverage, and building identity through intentionality.

When asked about his offensive a defensive philosophies, Ott responded, “Offensively, playing faster. I think a way to look at it is playing earlier in the clock. We know the efficiency of offensive possessions start high and they drop. How often can we get a good look early in the possession? So we’re going to play fast. We’re going to move, and you know the cutting piece is important.”

One of the issues that plagued the Suns in recent seasons was offensive stagnation. Under Budenholzer’s brief tenure, the system was built around precision and spacing. Players moving to specific spots on the floor, designed to create lanes and open looks. But the challenge came once they got there. They’d run to their marks…and stay.

The offense too often froze. The movement off the ball stalled. Back cuts were rare. Off-ball screens were scarce. What should’ve felt like motion became isolation. Too much watching. Not enough acting.

A simple recognition of this flaw and a commitment to reintroducing dynamic movement into the offense would be a meaningful first step toward evolution.

"We're gonna move." - Jordan Ott on his offensive philosophy pic.twitter.com/iLjrLNig7h

— Bright Side of the Sun (@BrightSideSun) June 11, 2025​

“We’re going to move bodies,” Ott continued, “and then we’re going to find ways to get extra possessions. So we’re going to crash. We know how important it is to win the possession game. “

“Defensively, I want to play aggressive,” Ott stated. “We see it in the playoffs. We see exactly two teams that are at the end of the day in the Finals.”

Yeah, some defense would be nice. The Suns were an outright joke on that side of the ball last season, finishing 27th in defensive rating at 117.7. For a team with championship aspirations, that’s embarrassing. It’s one thing to struggle offensively when shots aren’t falling, but when you can’t stop anyone either, you’ve got no margin for error.

“And then we’re going to communicate,” Ott added. “Offenses are becoming more conceptual in how we communicate. At the end of the day, defense needs effort. All-out effort all the time. And then we’re going to have to be connected. Through the 48 minutes, there’s going to be some type of adversity. Can we stay connected to move past that and be more connected for a longer period of time than the other team, and the last piece,e and I’ve already hit on a little bit is we’re going to do it collaboratively.”

Communication was one of the Suns’ biggest downfalls last season. Devin Booker brought it up regularly in postgame interviews — whether it was on missed switches, blown coverages, or late-game breakdowns. And it showed.

I like what I’m hearing so far. I do. Time will ultimately tell whether the Phoenix Suns can execute Jordan Ott’s vision. And, to be fair, we don’t even know who the Phoenix Suns are going to be yet. But if this is the vision — movement, connectivity, purpose — it’s a step in the right direction. And more importantly, it’s a step away from what we’ve all had to stomach these past two seasons.

With Royce O’Neale, Oso Ighodaro, and Ryan Dunn watching from the sidelines, Ott repeatedly emphasized the importance of building real relationships with his players; of forging trust before forging game plans.

“It has always been about the players,” Ott stated. “It’s incredibly tough what you do. You’re in the toughest environment in the world, in the NBA. I hope I made you better because I know you made me better.”

"It has always been about the players. It’s incredibly tough what you do. You’re in the toughest environment in the world, in the NBA. I hope I made you better because I know you made me better."

️ Head Coach Jordan Ott on the players he's coached and those he will coach pic.twitter.com/qe92Nkwucl

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) June 10, 2025​

Talked with Oso Ighodaro and Royce O'Neale about their new head coach, Jordan Ott.

"Coach Ott was authentic and he seems to be aligned with the front office, which I'm excited about." @FOX10Phoenix pic.twitter.com/3Lwp278ak0

— Megan Plain (@MeganPlain) June 10, 2025​

Again, actions speak louder than words, and only time will reveal whether this was the right decision. Personally, I’m jaded. After what we’ve endured the past two summers, it’s hard to get excited about another head coaching hire. But something about this feels different.

After the press conference, Ott lingered. He took extra questions, chatted casually, and presented himself in a way that felt…human. Relatable. I introduced myself and shook his hand. He looked me square in the eye. And you know what? Bud never did that. There’s something to be said for that kind of presence.

Maybe success next season won’t be measured in wins and losses. It’s going to be an uphill climb, no doubt. But to make that climb, you first need stable footing. And maybe the Suns are laying that foundation right now.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...press-conference-vision-trust-offense-defense

 

[Phoenix Suns]

DeMarre Carroll joins Phoenix Suns staff as coaching dominoes start to fall

Photo by Brian Kolin/NBAE via Getty Images

Jordan Ott’s first bench hire shows Suns are prioritizing familiarity and philosophy.

With a new head coach comes new voices on the bench. And now that the Phoenix Suns have officially brought on Jordan Ott to lead the charge, the next step begins: building out his coaching staff.

It’s a demanding stretch for Ott, who must balance the assembling of his bench with the evaluation of NBA Draft prospects, pre-draft workouts, and weighing in on trade and free agency targets that could define the franchise’s direction.

The first reported addition to Ott’s staff is a familiar face: DeMarre Carroll. The two share history, having worked together as assistants with the Lakers and Cavaliers.

JUST IN: Phoenix Suns coach Jordan Ott has added DeMarre Carroll as an assistant coach on his bench, league sources told @hoopshype. Ott coached Carroll with the Brooklyn Nets and both worked together as assistant coaches for the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. pic.twitter.com/MWgEJc20qB

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 12, 2025​

Carroll, originally drafted in 2009 — the same loaded class that produced Harden, Curry, DeRozan, and Holiday — carved out an 11-year NBA career across eight teams.

Known for his toughness and defensive acumen, Carroll transitioned into coaching in 2022, joining the Milwaukee Bucks under Mike Budenholzer, who coached him during their Atlanta Hawks days. He then joined the Lakers in 2023, and this past season served on the Cavaliers’ staff.

Now, he becomes the first known assistant on Ott’s bench, a bench that will be shaped not just by résumés, but by shared vision and philosophy.

There will be more names to come, of course. But Carroll is the first domino. And if all goes well, we’ll see him alongside Amanda Pflugrad at halftime interviews next season, breaking down what’s working, what’s not, and how this new Suns era is starting to take shape.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...rdan-ott-coaching-staff-nba-draft-free-agency

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Never tell me the odds: Offseason trade odds for the Suns

Breaking down the chances the Suns keep or move Kevin Durant this summer.

Welcome to UwishUwereMiah, one of our new voices here at Bright Side of the Sun!

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The question everyone in the Valley is asking: What now?

We’ve already covered the various ways the Phoenix Suns might escape Bradley Beal’s contract nightmare in previous posts on Bright Side. For the purposes of this piece, we’re assuming Phoenix finds a way — via trade (please God), stretch provision (highly likely), or another creative exit (Bitcoin deposited in an offshore account by Mat Ishbia) — to move on from Beal.

The topic now is to deal with a different domino that needs to fall to move on from this quagmire. He is the’s the off-season’s slimmest and grumpiest, I just wanna hoop domino in Kevin Durant.

At 36 years old, Durant is still a top-20 player in the NBA. But he’s also on the last leg of his deal, and the Suns are staring down a future with limited draft capital, no young core, and very little financial flexibility.

So, what are the odds the Suns move KD this off-season? What could they get back? And how likely are each of these paths? Well, FanDuel doesn’t have the odds. So I made up my own!

1. Keep Kevin Durant for One More Season​

Estimated Chance: 25%​

The most pragmatic option might be to stand pat. With Durant under contract and still elite, the Suns could give it one more try under a moderately retooled roster and a new coaching staff. His salary will come off the books at the end of the year, clearing cap space, and giving Phoenix some breathing room in the 2026 off-season to sign players they actually want rather than taking back 90% in salaries they kind of want in a Durant trade.

Upside:

• Maintains competitive relevance this year with the hope a new coach and a new system bring
• Still maintains some Durant trade value if a great offer comes at the deadline from a team desperate for that one last final piece
• Avoids selling low in a limited market if the offers just aren’t there right now

Downside:

• Aging star, declining team, he may be worth even less at the trade deadline
• No draft picks to soften a future fall
• Houston owns or controls many of Phoenix’s future picks, making a collapse even more damaging
• If KD doesn’t get an extension, how does he respond?

Projected Roster:

• PG: Free agent veteran minimum
• SG: Devin Booker
• SF: Kevin Durant
• PF: Ryan Dunn/Royce O’Neale
• C: Nick Richards/Bol Bol
• Bench: Built on the margins

2. Trade Kevin Durant for the ‘Valley’ Suns, Part 2: Revenge of the ‘Valley’ Suns​

Estimated Chance: 15%

This is from the heart of a fan who thought we should have kept the band together. We are not talking about the G-League Valley Suns, but the team that donned the Valley jerseys en route to the 2021 NBA Finals and won 64 games a year later. Look at how many times the Boston Celtics failed with their young core until they developed into champions. My fanboy heart is already nostalgic for the ‘Valley’ Suns.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

If the Knicks view Durant as the missing piece for a championship run, this is the most logical way to start reshaping the future with a previously established identity and chemistry, which the Suns have lacked since trading for Durant. The Valley Suns 2.0 could compete now, they would play hard, the defense would be stellar, and the city would fall in love again. Would they win it all? No, but damn do I miss that feeling of loving my team and the players who wear the jersey.

Trade Partner: New York Knicks

• Durant → Knicks
• Return: Mikal Bridges, filler, and a top-8 protected first from the Wizards in 2026

A Durant-for-Mikal trade would be poetic and strategic. Bridges is beloved in Phoenix, still great at everything he has always done, and fits in any timeline. New York loves a superstar, and the Suns get a fresh restart with Booker and Mikal, as the core, and a chance to develop depth again in the future. Imagine the defensive possibilities of Mikal and Dunn playing side by side! The Jailer and The Warden. Book 'em, Devin.

Hear me out…Chris Paul is a free agent. He still comments on Book’s social media posts with fire emojis, which are the modern version of “I still love you, bro.” He played in all 82 games last year for the Spurs and is still an on-court coach. He was also the fire behind the original Valley Suns. He would come at a very low salary, and it’s perfect for CP3 to return to a city that loved him.

Bonus points behind the fact that they’ve already leaked that the Valley jerseys are coming back next year. Let’s get the band back together!

Pros:

• Reunites a competitive, beloved core
• Restores team chemistry
• Re-energizes the fanbase with energy, effort, and defense returning to the Valley

Projected Roster (Post-Knicks Deal):

• PG: Chris Paul
• SG: Devin Booker
• SF: Mikal Bridges
• PF: Ryan Dunn/Royce O’Neale
• C: Nick Richards/Bol Bol
• Bench: Suns #29 pick used on a PG

3. Full Rebuild: Trade Durant and Booker​

Estimated Chance: 3-5%, depending on the team

A very unlikely scenario, but worth discussing. I love Book, the city loves Book, but if Phoenix decides the current model is to broken to fix, which they may quickly realize. They could go nuclear: trade both KD and Book, and regain picks, and build from the ground up. This kind of reset would require ownership buy-in and some serious front-office precision decisions that may require a 3rd or even a 4th team, but here we go.

Potential Trade Partner: Houston Rockets (5% chance)

• Durant & Booker → Houston
• Return: Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün, and all of Phoenix’s own picks back, plus extras

Alternate Partner: San Antonio Spurs (5% chance)

• Durant & Booker → Spurs
• Return: #2 and #14 picks in 2024, 2025 pick swap rights, Devin Vassell, and future picks

Spiciest Possibility: Trade for #1 Overall Pick in 2025 Draft (3% chance)

• Durant & Booker → Dallas
• Return: 2025 #1 pick (to take Cooper Flagg) plus more picks and whatever random players they have to cobble together to make it work with additional teams involved
• This would be a long-term bet on drafting a generational star

Pros:

• Regains control of the future
• Clears cap space and builds through the draft
• Long runway for development

Projected 2025 Rookies Drafted with each trade:

• San Antonio: Dylan Harper (PG) at 2, Rasheer Fleming (PF) at 14, Ryan Kalkbrenner (C) at 29
• Houston Rockets: Kasparas Jakuciounis (PG) at 10, best available at 29
• Dallas: Cooper Flagg at 1, best available at 29
• Bench: Youth movement + flexibility

4. Trade Durant at the 2025 Deadline​

Estimated Chance: 10%

This is a wait-and-see approach. Let Durant start the year, showcase his value, and pivot if the team under performs. The risk here is obvious. Durant’s value could dip due to injury or regression, but the potential return could increase if contenders get desperate.

Pros:

• Potentially more suitors in-season that are willing to give up more draft picks if they feel they are really close heading into the trade deadline
• Could recoup strong value from desperate playoff teams

Final Thoughts​

The Suns can’t afford to misstep. With a depleted pick cupboard and a narrowing window, the decision on Durant will define the franchise’s next five years. Running it back offers short-term hope. Trading KD for assets offers a strategic pivot. Going full rebuild is bold, unlikely, but not impossible.

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Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...son-odds-possible-destinations-knicks-rockets

 

[Phoenix Suns]

Band of Brothers, foxholes, and knowing Durant trades won’t save the Suns, but they might save the future

Photo by HBO via Getty Images

What Band of Brothers reminded me about the Phoenix Suns’ offseason ahead.

There’s one tradition I keep every year. When June 6 arrives — the anniversary of D-Day, when Allied forces stormed the beaches of northern France in 1944 — I revisit what I believe is the finest television ever made: Band of Brothers. The 10-part HBO miniseries, released in 2001, remains as powerful today as the first time I saw it.

What makes this ritual meaningful is not that the story changes, but that I do.

Every summer, I take something different from the series. Band of Brothers follows Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment from their training in Toccoa, Georgia, through the battlefields of Normandy, Operation Market Garden, the frozen woods of Bastogne, and into Germany, all the way to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in the Alps. It’s a portrait of ordinary men doing extraordinary things under impossible circumstances.

Through those stories, I’ve learned lessons about leadership, sacrifice, and resilience. But above all, it’s the power of camaraderie that speaks to me. Having served in the military, I understand the bond forged in adversity and the quiet strength drawn from those at your side. If you’ve ever been part of a true team, you’ve felt it too. That lesson has shaped how I lead and how I counsel those under my charge. I’ve often shared the Band of Brothers ethos during difficult moments, reminding others — and myself — that leadership is never about taking from those you lead, but standing with them.

It’s a series that resonates deeply with me, and once again, this year, it did.

So what did I take from it this year? Not surprisingly, it reminded me of the Phoenix Suns. Metaphorically, of course.

The Suns are about to march into one of the most pivotal offseasons in franchise history. A new general manager. A new head coach. A roster in flux. And a culture that desperately needs reshaping. None of this is easy. In fact, it’s one of the hardest things a sports franchise can do: reimagine itself while still trying to remain competitive.

As I watched Band of Brothers, I thought about how every decision the Suns make this summer, through the NBA Draft, the trade market, and free agency, should be guided by three clear objectives. And as a fan base, we need to understand and accept these goals if we want to climb out of the mess the team has made for itself.

The first is long-term financial flexibility.

The Suns have spent so recklessly over the last two years that they’ve boxed themselves into one of the most restrictive situations in the league. It’s not just about this offseason or next year. It’s about the future of the franchise. The new collective bargaining agreement punishes repeat offenders of the second tax apron severely. If the Suns cross that threshold again in 2025–26, it would be their third consecutive year, and the league will freeze their first-round pick in 2032 and push it to the end of the round. That’s the price of reckless ambition. It’s a warning shot to ownership that long-term stability has to matter again.

The second objective is short-term flexibility, and by short-term, I don’t mean the 2024–25 season. I mean the next three years, the prime window of Devin Booker’s career.

In two seasons, Bradley Beal’s contract comes off the books, and the team needs to start shaping a roster today that will be ready for what comes after. Any trade they make involving Kevin Durant or other major pieces should have that 2027–28 season in mind, because you don’t get another Booker in this market. You have to build around him carefully, wisely, and deliberately.

And the third objective is to remain competitive next season.

Not because it’s convenient or easy, but because you don’t waste years of a star’s prime. Unfortunately, that goal isn’t perfectly aligned with the first two. In fact, next season may end up being a transition year; a necessary step back as the team retools around Booker. But if done with clarity and purpose, it can be a step forward in disguise.

That’s what Band of Brothers reminded me of this year. The war was fought one hill, one town, one day at a time. You don’t win by chasing every fight. You win by picking the right ones, holding the line together, and keeping your long game in focus, even when the world’s on fire around you. The Suns would do well to remember that now.

There’s a quote from Band of Brothers that stuck with me this year, one I’ve heard countless times but hit differently now. Lieutenant Ronald Speirs says it to Private Blithe, who’s paralyzed with fear in his foxhole, overwhelmed by the chaos of combat. Speirs leans in and tells him:

“We’re all scared. You hid in that ditch because you think there’s still hope. But the only hope you have is to accept the fact that you’re already dead. And the sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able to function as a soldier’s supposed to — without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All war depends upon it.”

It’s brutal, unflinching, and honest. And while the stakes in professional basketball don’t carry life-and-death consequences, the message still applies: You can’t operate effectively when you’re clinging to false hopes or pretending your reality is different than it is. The Phoenix Suns need to accept where they are: a team that mortgaged its future, overpaid for stars, and now faces a difficult, humbling path to repair what’s broken. The sooner they confront that truth, the sooner they can start making real, sustainable decisions.

As Suns fans, I think that’s exactly how we need to approach this upcoming season: we’re already dead.

Given the state of the Western Conference and the brutal financial restrictions this team faces, defining success by wins and losses next year is unrealistic. The sooner we accept that, the sooner we can start functioning as a fan base with clearer eyes. And begin to recognize the short- and long-term flexibility this franchise desperately needs to reclaim.

A Kevin Durant trade isn’t going to magically fix this overnight. You might get a useful asset or two, but the true goal isn’t that first trade return; it’s what you can flip those pieces into, how you parlay them into future cap relief, draft picks, and players who fit a long-term vision. It’s about breaking down this bloated, mismatched roster and setting the foundation for what comes next. And yes, there will be growing pains along the way.

This team can still be competitive in the truest sense of the word. They can play hard, play with purpose, and execute the vision of Jordan Ott. Maybe they won’t win a ton of games, but if they play the right way, if there’s a visible culture shift, that effort will matter. It might not be a championship season, but it could be the start of something more sustainable.

Because truthfully, chasing a title next year isn’t a realistic goal. This is a two- to three-year rebuild in disguise, whether the organization admits it or not.

And that’s what Band of Brothers gave me this year. A reminder that the road ahead is going to be tough. The odds are long. The situation’s imperfect. But the sooner we accept the reality of where we are, the sooner we can start finding real hope again.

Three miles up, three miles down. Curahee.

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Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...ant-trade-band-of-brothers-leadership-lessons