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 turns into the crew’s fourth head coach in 4 seasons. Proprietor Mat Ishbia fired Monty Williams after the 2022-23 season, shortly after Ishbia took management of the franchise. NBA veteran head coaches Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer lasted just one season apiece earlier than being dismissed.
They’ll now flip to a veteran assistant receiving his first crack as a head coach.
Ott emerged from a gaggle of not less than 15 candidates, in line with Charania. He has agreed to a four-year contract, 98.7 FM Phoenix discuss present host John Gambadoro tweets.
Ott has long-time ties to Ishbia, Jeff Goodman notes. Ott is a former Tom Izzo staffer at Michigan State, the place Ishbia performed as a walk-on.
He started his NBA teaching profession as a video coordinator with the Hawks. He served as a Nets assistant from 2016-22, then moved on to the Lakers till this season. He adopted former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson to Cleveland after Atkinson obtained the highest job there.
One other Cavs assistant, Johnnie Bryant, was the other finalist for the Suns job. Warmth assistant Chris Quinn and Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney had been additionally into consideration through the last spherical of interviews.
Ott might be taking up a franchise in a state of flux. Ishbia’s plans to win a championship by constructing a superteam round Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker failed miserably, with the Suns not even qualifying for the postseason in Budenholzer’s solely season on the helm.
The Suns are expected to pursue trades involving Durant and Beal, although Beal must waive his no-trade clause. Booker was closely concerned within the search course of through the last levels and likewise stamped Ott as his best choice, Charania tweets.
As for Bryant, he’s presumed to be a candidate for the Knicks’ opening. Bryant was an assistant below Tom Thibodeau with the Knicks till this season.
