'Step By Step': Ott Assures Suns Turnaround Will be a Process

Evidenced through a phlegmatic demeanor throughout his introductory press conference Tuesday, Phoenix Suns coach Jordan Ott isn't into making grand promises for his early tenure in The Valley.

Phoenix's last two coaching hires, Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer, came in with a top-heavy roster and a mission to take the franchise back to the NBA Finals.

Ott isn't promising any of that. He wants to do it the right way, even if it means taking the time to build the adequate relationships, system and culture to do so.

"This is an exciting opportunity," Ott said. "It's the players, it's always the players. And it's the actual organization. I know that I have the support from above me that we can do this step by step, do it the right way to build this thing out."

One of the factors that allows Ott the time to cultivate a winning organization is the settled expectations of a Suns team aimed at "retooling" (per owner Mat Ishbia) around Devin Booker by moving off of superstar Kevin Durant this offseason.

"As you look across the NBA, there' so much parity around the league," Ott added, "and even where Indiana was a couple years ago to where they are now, the team in Cleveland [took a] 16- win jump... we can make that jump. But, we're going to do it in a systematic way.

"And I know (Brian Gregory), Mat (Ishbia), Josh (Bartelstein), we all share the same thinking; that we can do this in a systematic way, step by step, to build this thing out right."

Unlike his predecessors, Ott is coming to Phoenix with no championship experience. But he's looking to prove he belongs with the franchise for a very long time.

An important aspect of sticking around in Phoenix, or rather one of the factors that soured the Suns on the Vogel and Budenholzer experiences, is the ability to connect with players. To Ott, that relationship is paramount. And he already has Booker's support.

"He's in his prime, ready to rock," Ott said of the franchise's all-time leading scorer. "We need to help him. And that's my job as the coach, to help him in multiple areas. Help him find solutions so he knows that he has us behind him. Make or miss, end of game, game on the line... we're buying in."

Suns fans have been here before. Three-straight years in fact. Something is different about Ott's outlook, though. And it could take a season or two for the hire to pay dividends.