Cavs Assistants Jordan Ott, Johnnie Bryant Lone Finalists For Suns’ Head-Coaching Vacancy

Well, it appears someone from the Cleveland Cavaliers will be the next head coach of the Phoenix Suns.

Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant and assistant coach Jordan Ott are the two finalists to become the Suns’ next coach.

Both candidates will head to Michigan to meet with Suns owner Mat Ishbia, Charania added. A hiring could happen as soon as this week.

 Byrant and Ott just finished their first year with the Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson. 

Bryant is close with Cavaliers All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, as the two have worked together with the Utah Jazz and Cavaliers. 

Mitchell told NBA reporter Marc J. Spears of Andscape that Bryant holds him accountable in Cleveland. 

“Obviously, Kenny Atkinson and I have a great relationship,” Mitchell said. “[Bryant is] a guy that’s always keeping me [honest]. Even when I have stretches where I play well, he will be like, ‘No, you ain’t done nothing yet. There is always room to grow.’ It’s always keeping yourself [humble].

“I give Coach Kenny and Johnnie Bryant a lot of credit, just because there is always a challenge. There’s always something. Never satisfied. There’s always something more, and [Bryant is] probably the guy that gets the most out of me.”

Ott became an assistant under Atkinson before this season, coming to Cleveland after two years with the Lakers and former Los Angeles coach Darvin Ham.

Before that, Ott served as an assistant coach with the Nets from 2016-2020 under Atkinson, and was the Hawks’ video coordinator from 2013-16 under Mike Budenholzer.

Interestingly, the Suns fired Budenholzer after the season. They fired Frank Vogel after last offseason. They fired Monty Williams the offseason before that.

So whoever gets the job next can safely assume he’s likely on a short leash.

(Ashish Mathur contributed to this report.)