Jordan Ott Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Suns Notes: Ott, Next Steps, Grill, Carroll

June 12th, 2025 at 10:23pm CST by Earnest Marshall

New Suns coach Jordan Ott had his introductory press conference on Tuesday, sharing how each coach in his journey helped him get to where he is, Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin writes. Rankin compiled comments from several coaches Ott worked with

“Jordan Ott is an outstanding hire,” former Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “His work ethic, demeanor, passion, and deep knowledge of the game will resonate with both young and veteran players. Jordan will leave no stone unturned in pursuit of finding solutions and will be committed to building a sustainable and successful brand of basketball.”

Ott coached with the Nets for six seasons as an assistant, which directly overlapped with Vaughn’s time there. Ott also served as a video coordinator and graduate assistant under Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo before making it to the league.

“He’s great, a really smart kid. Works his ass off,” Izzo said. “He’s a guy that has enjoyed the process. He’s really a thorough guy. He worked under some good people. I think [Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson] is one of the best coaches in the league. That will be a big plus with him.”

Ott also served as a video coordinator with the Hawks and most recently was an assistant under Atkinson in Cleveland. He worked under former Lakers coach Darvin Ham from 2022-24.

“He has a great feel, which is an intangible, I think, that is just as valuable,” Ham said. “You’ve got to know your Xs and Os, you’ve got to be well equipped with player development, programs and understanding both sides of the ball, but I just think the feel for people nowadays with so much going on. The world is moving so fast between social media and the ever-changing landscape of our league from playing styles to playing trends, he’s abreast to all of that. He stays on top of all of that.”

We have more from the Suns:

After hiring Ott, a trade involving Kevin Durant seems like the next order of business, Rankin writes in another piece. Beyond that, Phoenix currently holds the Nos. 29 and 52 overall picks in the 2025 draft. They’ve previously hosted Michigan big man Danny Wolf and Alabama forward Grant Nelson on pre-draft workouts. Filling out Ott’s coaching staff is another top priority.
In addition to Wolf and Nelson, the Suns hosted Missouri guard Caleb Grill on a pre-draft workout, per Rankin. Grill is ESPN’s 74th best-available player in the 2025 class. He averaged 13.7 points while shooting 39.6% from three on 6.8 attempts per game in his final collegiate season en route to winning SEC Sixth Man of the Year.
The Suns finalized an agreement to add NBA veteran DeMarre Carroll to their coaching staff, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link). John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 previously reported the move was expected, though an official announcement may not come until later in the offseason, once Phoenix has finalized Ott’s staff.

Ott: Merit, Not MSU Ties, Led To Suns’ Head Coaching Job

June 11th, 2025 at 3:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jordan Ott graduated from Michigan State and served as a graduate assistant under longtime head coach Tom Izzo for two seasons. Suns owner Mat Ishbia played for Izzo during the Spartans’ 2000 championship run and new general manager Brian Gregory was an assistant under Izzo that season.

However, Ott denies that his MSU ties had anything to do with being named Phoenix’s head coach, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic relays.

“So I’ll say it like this,” Ott said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday. “I’ve earned the right to be here. I’ve spent 20 years of working as hard as I possibly can to be here in this spot. I’ve been around great people, great coaches and great players that have allowed me to grow, put me in tough spots to see if I can get better. I know I’ve earned this opportunity. I’m going to work as hard as I can from here on out to prove that I’m here for the right reasons. I’ve earned this opportunity. That excites me. That excites me going forward.”

The Suns interviewed more than 15 candidates for the position and the two finalists were Ott and fellow Cavs assistant Johnnie Bryant. Gregory said Ott was the “clear choice” for the job.

“Jordan Ott stood out in every single stage of that process,” Gregory said, adding “His work ethic is beyond reproach. His basketball knowledge, his forward thinking in terms of offensive schemes and systems, the blueprint for an aggressive defensive style of play fit in perfectly with everything that we’ve been talking about for the last five weeks. His leadership, his ability to develop players, his ability to develop deep relationships with players constantly stood out.”

What isn’t clear is what group of players Ott will be coaching next season. There’s been no indication that the Suns are interesting in a full rebuild, but the cap-strapped team is looking for a reset around Devin Booker. The front office is working with Kevin Durant and his agent, Rich Kleiman, to find a landing spot for Durant as early as this month with the draft approaching.

It’s no secret the Suns would also like to move Bradley Beal and his onerous contract, but Beal has a no-trade clause and would have to agree to waive it if Phoenix can find a trade partner willing to make a deal.

There will be changes to the coaching staff. David Fizdale, one of Mike Budenholzer‘s top assistants this past season, will not be retained, Phoenix radio host John Gambadoro tweets. Former Houston head coach Stephen Silas is under consideration to join Ott’s staff.

Fischer’s Latest: Raptors, Maluach, Barrett, Suns, Triano

June 7th, 2025 at 8:34am CST by Rory Maher

The Raptors are among the teams who “highly value” Duke center Khaman Maluach ahead of this month’s NBA Draft, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). However, it remains to be seen if the 7’2″ big man will be available at No. 9, which is the lottery pick Toronto currently controls.

If Maluach — who is ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s big board — is unavailable, rival teams have gotten the impression the Raptors might target a different center, Fischer writes. For what it’s worth, Derik Queen (No. 13), Joan Beringer (No. 15) and Thomas Sorber (No. 18) are the next three centers on ESPN’s board.

Here are a few more items of interest from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:

As we relayed on Friday evening, Fischer pointed to Raptors wing RJ Barrett as a potential salary-matching piece if Toronto decides to make a play for Kevin Durant. Citing sources, Fischer also confirms a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype stating that Barrett’s name came up in the Brandon Ingram trade talks between the Pelicans and Raptors. Toronto ultimately acquired Ingram in February by sending New Orleans Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-rounder.
New head coach Jordan Ott intends to meet with the Suns‘ current assistants in the coming days, according to Fischer, who says there was a “strong belief” during the search process that Phoenix would ask associate head coach David Fizdale to remain on staff under the new hire. However, it’s unclear if Fizdale will be amenable to that arrangement after receiving multiple interviews for the head coaching job. Cavaliers assistant DeMarre Carroll — who has worked with Ott on three different teams — and Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley are also viewed as candidates to join Ott’s staff, Fischer writes.
Following up on a report from his Stein Line colleague Marc Stein, Fischer hears former Suns and Raptors head coach Jay Triano is finalizing a contract to join the Mavericks as an assistant under Jason Kidd. The Knicks are interested in speaking to Kidd for their coaching vacancy, though Dallas would have to grant New York permission for that to happen.

Suns Notes: Izzo, Ott, Durant Trade, Coaching Staff

June 6th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has seen the jokes about Suns owner Mat Ishbia stockpiling on Spartan alumni, especially following Phoenix’s hiring of new head coach Jordan Ott, but he doesn’t think the correlation is all it’s cracked up to be, writes Duane Rankin of Arizona Republic.

“It looks like Michigan State Southwest, but the truth of the matter is, it’s not that,” Izzo told Rankin in a phone interview. “He’s just got to figure out what it takes to win and I think he’s figured out some of the things he’s done, positively and negatively. He’s got to get some stability. He’s got to figure out his roster and I think you’re going to see Mat more and more visible.”

With Ott marking Phoenix’s fourth coach in four years, stability will be key to moving the Suns into a new, more successful era.

Izzo also praised the Ott hire, saying of the first-time head coach, “He’s great, a really smart kid. Works his ass off. He’s a guy that has enjoyed the process. He’s really a thorough guy.”

We have more news from Phoenix:

Ott has been effortlessly commanding respect from players since he entered the NBA as a video coordinator with the Hawks, writes The Athletic’s Doug Haller. As Haller details, Michigan State assistant coach Dwayne Stephens was immediately impressed by Ott’s comfort level in Atlanta when he visited him in 2014 and saw him working with his first NBA team. “That’s probably when I first realized that this dude has an opportunity to be one of the premier coaches in that league,” Stephens said. According to Spartan athletic director Kevin Pauga, Ott commands a room not with a boisterous presence, but with an undeniable mindset: “You get five minutes (with him), you’re like, ‘Oh, this guy is smart as hell.'”
With Kevin Durant trade speculation heating up, Rankin lists five of the teams he considers most likely trade partners for the Suns. Those teams are the Rockets, Timberwolves, Knicks, Pistons, and Spurs. Rankin believes it’s unlikely the Spurs would consider the No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft in a Durant deal, but thinks the 14th pick could be on the table.
Rankin also looks at potential candidates to join the Suns’ coaching staff as assistants under Ott. David Fizdale, who has been on the staff with the previous two coaches (Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer) is one clear choice. Fizdale had been under consideration for the head coaching position before Ott won it. Mark Bryant and Othella Harrington both coached under Tom Thibodeau with the Knicks and could find themselves looking for work if New York overhauls its staff. Adam Caporn of the Wizards, the Suns’ Brent Barry, Indiana’s Jenny Boucek, and former Ott coworkers Adam Harrington and Phil Handy round out the list for Rankin.

Suns Officially Announce Jordan Ott As Head Coach

June 6th, 2025 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Suns have hired Jordan Ott as their new head coach.

Word broke on Wednesday that Phoenix had chosen Ott over fellow Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant to replace Mike Budenholzer. Now, the Suns have officially confirmed the news in a press release.

“Jordan embodies the culture of excellence and accountability we’re going to prioritize,” Suns owner Mat Ishbia said in a statement. “He is young, hungry and is ready to be an NBA head coach. His track record of developing players, fostering team chemistry, and his understanding of the game at the highest level are essential skills to how we are building for our future.”

Ott, who shares Michigan State ties with Ishbia and general manager Brian Gregory, spent the past season in Cleveland under Kenny Atkinson after previously spending time as an assistant with the Lakers and Nets. In today’s press release , the Suns highlight the fact that Ott “worked closely” with big man Evan Mobley, who was named the Defensive Player of the Year and made an All-NBA team for the first time this season.

Ott issued a statement of his own in which he thanked the Suns for the opportunity and vowed to build a hard-working, winning culture in Phoenix. Gregory, meanwhile, stated that the Suns chose Ott after conducting an “extensive” search for Budenholzer’s replacement.

“Jordan’s leadership and basketball intellect consistently stood out, combining a brilliant mind as an offensive strategist with the blueprint to employ an aggressive defensive system,” Gregory said. “A strong communicator with a relentless work ethic, he shares our vision of establishing a team identity rooted in toughness, accountability and a systematic approach to the game. Jordan attacks every day with the grit and competitiveness we need in a leader of our culture, and we are excited to welcome him and his family to Phoenix.”

Ott, who will be the Suns’ fourth head coach in the past four seasons, reportedly agreed to a four-year contract with the organization.

The Knicks are now the only NBA team without a head coach in place.

Suns Notes: Ott, Expectations, Ishbia

June 4th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Suns hired their fourth head coach in as many years on Wednesday, bringing aboard former Cavaliers assistant coach Jordan Ott on a four-year deal.

According to John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix (Twitter link), Phoenix was particularly impressed with Ott’s elaborate offensive plans and his committed work ethic. Current All-Star guard Devin Booker and franchise legend Steve Nash both approved of the hire, Gambadoro notes.

Ott beat out his former Cleveland colleague Johnnie Bryant, the other reported finalist for the role. It took an intensive four-round interview process to replace one-and-done former head coach Mike Budenholzer. Miami assistant coach Chris Quinn, Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, Thunder assistant Dave Bliss and Phoenix assistant David Fizdale were among the apparent top contenders, having survived multiple rounds of meetings themselves.

Phoenix has failed to even get past the first round of the playoffs with its pricey All-Star triumvirate of Booker, forward Kevin Durant and guard Bradley Beal. Last year’s iteration finished outside of the play-in tournament. It is anticipated that the Suns will attempt to trade Durant and Beal. Since Beal has a no-trade clause, he would need to be on board with his next destination.

There’s more out of Phoenix:

Ott, who had also been a finalist for the Hornets’ head coaching role last spring, seems likely to align with the vision Suns majority owner Mat Ishbia and new general manager Brian Gregory have previously laid out, observes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Ishbia spoke about wanting to find a “grinder” during an April presser. During Gregory’s first press conference in his new role this May, he stated that Phoenix was looking for a coach with deep basketball knowledge and an investment in playing a tough, physical brand of basketball.
Ishbia, who has overseen significant roster and coach turnover since taking over the franchise, plans to get even more hands-on with the team from now on, per Gerald Bourgeut of PHNX Sports. Ott, like Gregory and Ishbia, is a Michigan State alum. Bourgeut notes that, should both Ott and Gregory not meet the moment, Ishbia could receive even more scrutiny for his hiring choices than he has in the past. A source told Bourgeut that Ishbia, himself a former player for the Spartans, emailed his basketball operations team this week, claiming he needed to be more involved in constructing a team culture. Ishbia added that he intends to be “extremely active in the decisions and management,” per Bourgeut’s source.
In case you missed it, mutual interest reportedly remains between the Spurs and Durant on a potential trade.

Suns To Hire Cavs Assistant Jordan Ott As Head Coach

June 4th, 2025 at 11:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns are hiring Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott as their new head coach, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. Ott has been an NBA assistant since 2013.

Ott becomes the team’s fourth head coach in four seasons. Suns owner Mat Ishbia fired Monty Williams after the 2022/23 season, shortly after taking control of the franchise. NBA veteran head coaches Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer only lasted one season apiece before they were dismissed.

Phoenix will now turn to a veteran assistant receiving his first crack as a head coach.

Ott emerged from a group of at least 15 candidates, according to Charania. He has agreed to a four-year contract, 98.7 FM Phoenix talk show host John Gambadoro tweets.

Ott has long-time ties to Ishbia, Jeff Goodman notes (Twitter link). Ott is a former Tom Izzo staffer at Michigan State, where Ishbia played as a walk-on.

He began his NBA coaching career as a video coordinator with the Hawks. He served as a Nets assistant from 2016-22, then moved on to the Lakers until this past season. He followed former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson to Cleveland after Atkinson got the top job with the Cavs.

Another Cavs assistant, Johnnie Bryant, was the other finalist for the Suns job. Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney were also confirmed to be under consideration during the final round of interviews, with Thunder assistant Dave Bliss and Suns assistant David Fizdale reported to be in the mix too.

Ott will be taking over a franchise in a state of flux. Ishbia’s plans to win a championship by building a super-team around Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker failed miserably, with the Suns not even qualifying for the postseason in Budenholzer’s only season at the helm.

The Suns are expected to pursue trades involving Durant and Beal, though Beal would have to waive his no-trade clause. Booker was heavily involved in the search process during the final stages and gave Ott a stamp of approval as his top choice as well, Charania tweets.

As for Bryant, he’s rumored to be a candidate for the Knicks’ opening. Bryant was an assistant under Tom Thibodeau with the Knicks until this season.

Jordan Ott, Johnnie Bryant Finalists For Suns’ Head Coaching Job

June 2nd, 2025 at 11:14am CST by Luke Adams

11:14 am: While Ott is a finalist for the Suns’ head coaching vacancy, Shams Charania of ESPN confirms, it’s Bryant – not Quinn – who joins him in that final group. According to Charania, the two Cavaliers assistants will meet in person with Ishbia, Gregory, and Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein in Michigan.

Bryant, who was hired last offseason as the Cavaliers’ associate head coach, previously worked for the Jazz (2014-20) and Knicks (2020-24) as an assistant.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) reports that the Suns are expected to make their decision by the end of the week.

8:50 am: After reporting over the weekend that the Suns are expected to advance two or three finalists to the last round of their head coaching search to meet with team owner Mat Ishbia, NBA insider Marc Stein (Substack link) says Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott have been “repeatedly forecasted in league coaching circles” to reach that final stage of the search process.

Quinn, a former NBA player, worked as an assistant for Northwestern in 2013/14 before joining Miami’s coaching staff under Erik Spoelstra in 2014. He has since emerged as Spoelstra’s top lieutenant, having spent more than a decade on the Heat’s bench and served as the club’s acting head coach when Spoelstra has had to miss games.

Ott was part of coaching staffs with the Hawks, Nets, and Lakers before reuniting with Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland a year ago. Ott, who previously worked under Atkinson in Brooklyn and attended Michigan State like Ishbia, was reportedly a finalist last spring for the head coaching job in Charlotte that ultimately went to Charles Lee.

Quinn and Ott are among four candidates confirmed to have interviewed with Suns general manager Brian Gregory, along with Cleveland assistant Johnnie Bryant and Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney.

According to Stein, the expectation was that Gregory would meet with Thunder assistant Dave Bliss in Oklahoma City over the weekend. Stein doesn’t confirm that the meeting took place as planned, but notes that Bliss wasn’t expected to fly out to meet the Suns while his team was preparing for the NBA Finals.

Marc J. Spears of Andscape and NBA insider Chris Haynes (Threads link) have both stated that Suns assistant and former NBA head coach David Fizdale was also still in the mix for Phoenix’s coaching vacancy entering the team’s third round of interviews. The club initially identified between 15 and 20 candidates for the job before advancing nine of those candidates to the second round of the process.

Latest On Suns’ Head Coaching Search

May 31st, 2025 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have now completed in-person interviews with Sean Sweeney, Jordan Ott, Johnnie Bryant, and Chris Quinn as they evaluate candidates for their head coaching vacancy, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link). Marc Stein (Substack link) confirms Gambadoro’s report, noting that those interviews took place this week and were run by new general manager Brian Gregory.

Thunder assistant Dave Bliss remains under consideration for Phoenix’s head coaching job as well, but with Oklahoma City headed to the NBA Finals, the Suns haven’t been able to bring him in for an in-person meeting. An interview with Bliss would probably have to take place in OKC, Stein notes.

Sweeney, Ott, Bryant, Quinn, and Bliss were identified earlier in the week as the remaining contenders for the Suns’ open position. One subsequent report indicated that Suns assistant and former NBA head coach David Fizdale was also still in the mix, but neither Gambadoro nor Stein mentions him, so that report remains unconfirmed.

It’s believed that the Suns will pick a smaller group of finalists – likely just two candidates – who will meet face-to-face with team owner Mat Ishbia next week, Stein reports.

According to Stein, Suns star Devin Booker has “had a level of involvement” in this stage of interviews, which backs up the club’s repeated assertions that its plan is continue building around Booker going forward. While all three Phoenix stars have been the subject of trade speculation in recent months, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are considered far more likely to actually end up on the trade block this summer.

Speaking of Durant, the fact that the Suns are trending toward hiring a first-time head coach has only increased the league-wide belief that KD is a strong candidate to be dealt this offseason, Stein writes. However, he cautions that Durant may not actually reach the trade market until there’s clarity on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to stay in Milwaukee or seek a change of scenery.

Suns Pare Down List Of Coaching Candidates To Five

May 28th, 2025 at 7:00am CST by Dana Gauruder

May 28: In addition to confirming Quinn, Bryant, Ott, and Sweeney as finalists, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link) reports that Bliss is moving to the next round of interviews as well.

Gambadoro confirms that the Suns are advancing five candidates to the final round of the search process, with Bliss still in the mix (Twitter links).

May 27: The Suns have whittled their list of candidates for their head coaching job.

According to Phoenix radio reporter John Gambadoro (Twitter link), there are four finalists for the position, with Heat assistant Chris Quinn and Cavaliers assistants Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott among that group.

The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin, citing multiple league sources, also hears that Quinn and Ott are among the likely finalists along with Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, with Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori also a possibility.

Sweeney is headed to Phoenix for an in-person interview on Wednesday, Gambadoro confirms (via Twitter).

The Suns are looking to replace Mike Budenholzer, who only lasted one disappointing season on the job. Budenholzer was hired after Frank Vogel, another coach with a championship on his resume, was let go after one season.

The Suns are the only team in search of a head coach. Gambadoro reported on Sunday that Phoenix’s brass had already conducted second interviews with nine candidates for the position, mainly via Zoom. Suns assistant David Fizdale, Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Nets assistant Steve Hetzel and Thunder assistant Dave Bliss were the other reported candidates.