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Phoenix Suns hire new head coach

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 1:55 PM ET

The Phoenix Suns have hired a new head coach.

Former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott on Wednesday agreed to a deal to become the head coach of the Suns, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Ott and Johnnie Bryant, another assistant who was hired by Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland last season, were reportedly the two finalists for the Suns job.

Charania adds that Suns star Devin Booker was involved in the process of hiring a new head coach and viewed Ott as his top choice.

Suns franchise cornerstone Devin Booker was involved in the search process during the final stages and stamped Ott as his top choice as well, sources said. Ott has been on NBA coaching staffs with the Hawks, Nets, Lakers and Cavaliers since 2012. https://t.co/zMNBy9lHrA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 4, 2025

Though he has never been a head coach, Ott has a decade of NBA coaching experience. He was an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets prior to joining the Cavs, who won an Eastern Conference-best 64 games this season.

The Suns fired Mike Budenholzer on April 14 after he coached the team for just one season. Phoenix went 36-46 and missed the playoffs despite having the highest payroll in the NBA and a trio of star players in Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.

The Suns appear to be moving closer to trading Durant, so they could have a much different roster in their first season under Ott.

Budenholzer was fired after ownership determined that he was not connecting with the team’s core players. He reportedly had issues with Booker that trickled down to the rest of the roster , which is likely why owner Mat Ishbia wanted Booker to be involved in choosing a new head coach.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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