Suns’ Devin Booker In Favor Of Hiring Cavaliers Assistant Jordan Ott As Coach

Ott, 40, is viewed as an “innovator” who should help create an even more dynamic Suns offense. And, of course, get the players to start bending their knees, shuffling their feet and really getting after it defensively.

These are the Suns, though, and you can never be too sure who’s going to suit up. Kevin Durant has been in trade rumors for weeks. Most expect him to be elsewhere. Ott is only a few years older than Durant. Not that it matters, but it makes you think that if the Suns intended to keep Durant, they would have hired a more experienced coach.

Then again, “experience” hasn’t exactly worked out in Phoenix. In the past three seasons, they’ve fired Monty Williams, then Frank Vogel, then Mike Budenholzer. So let’s just say the gig doesn’t exactly scream “job security.”

Anyway, back to Ott. League sources told Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic that Booker was in favor of the hire. Some described Ott as intelligent “and a student of the game with very sound offensive, defensive philosophies,” Rankin wrote. “He’s viewed as someone who is ‘innovative,’ a teacher of the game and strong in player development and the film room.”

Like Suns owner Mat Ishbia and newly minted GM Brian Gregory, Ott is a Michigan State product. Now, Ott is about to get his shot.

Ott became an assistant under Atkinson before this past 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.