Report: Suns Hire New GM

The first domino in a long Phoenix Suns offseason has fallen.

According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the Suns are hiring Brian Gregory as their new general manager.

More from Charania's X post:

"The Phoenix Suns are naming a new head of basketball operations, promoting vice president Brian Gregory as the franchise’s new general manager, sources tell ESPN. James Jones, the Suns GM since 2019, will transition to a role as senior advisor for the franchise."

Fellow NBA insider Marc Stein had hinted Gregory was the man for the job thanks to his close relationship with Suns owner Mat Ishbia.

Per Stein, Gregory had a "significant" voice in Phoenix's draft strategy and is "highly regarded" by Ishbia.

Gregory's background as a Michigan State Spartan certainly doesn't hurt, helping his ties to Ishbia. The two won the 2000 NCAA National Championship under Tom Izzo, though Ishbia was a player and Gregory was an assistant.

Gregory spent the past season as the Suns' VP of player programming. Prior to that, he was the college basketball head coach at programs such as Dayton, Georgia Tech and South Florida over the span of 20 years.

Former Golden State Warriors exec Bob Myers was also a rumored target for a front office in Phoenix.

Now with their front office seemingly settled, the Suns now can advance their search for a fourth head coach in as many seasons after firing Mike Budenholzer.

"I want to put a team out there on the court that everyone is proud of," Ishbia said in an end-of-season press conference.

"It has to have an identity -- an identity similar to Phoenix. Some grit, some determination, some work ethic, some grind, some joy. We just haven't had that."

The Suns just finished their worst regular season in years with a 36-46 record and missing the postseason entirely.