Mat Ishbia challenges bet on Suns’ preseason prediction

On Tuesday, Ishbia responded to sports media personality Bill Simmons’ preview of the team’s upcoming season. Simmons predicted the Suns would have the worst defense in the league, which was a take that didn’t sit well with Ishbia.

“@BillSimmons, you and your crew have some good takes and some that are terrible,” Ishbia posted on X (formerly Twitter). ” You’re the betting guru and even you know better than to actually take this bet.”

While many owners tend to distance themselves from social media, Ishbia has always leaned into it and given his own thoughts.

Ishbia’s leadership is reflected in his responses, consistently standing up for his team. It’s the shift the Suns have felt since he arrived in 2023. He also connects with fans in this way, especially in this case, as many have supported his response and rallied behind the owner’s assertiveness.

However, Simmons’ skepticism isn’t out of the blue. The Suns had a rocky season last year, despite having star power in Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. Injuries and inconsistency from Phoenix’s stars hindered production and the team missed the playoffs as a result.

Ishbia’s call to action is the calling of a new era. The Suns have retooled their team through trades and draft picks, including a new head coach. His comments reinforce the promise of delivering a better product on the court this season after an underwhelming performance last year. Ishbia cares about delivering results.

Whether Simmons takes the bet or not is still in the air, but the Suns aren’t prepared to let preseason predictions define them.

They’re playing for a broader purpose: To be better than they were a year ago.