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The Phoenix Suns finally found their new head coach on Wednesday, hiring former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott to lead the next iteration of the team. What Ott's roster will look like is unclear at the moment as the Suns explore trade options for star wing Kevin Durant this offseason.
Ott is a Michigan State alum, which drew obvious comparisons between him and owner Mat Ishbia . Ishbia is a Michigan State guy himself and has been very supportive of the program, but the two had shockingly never met prior to Ott's interview for the job, via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports.
"Despite their shared background as Michigan State alums, this week's interview was the first time Mat Ishbia met Jordan Ott, but a source confirmed he impressed Ishbia, Gregory and CEO Josh Bartelstein with his attention to details and his willingness to outwork everybody," Bourguet wrote.
While the Michigan State ties may have helped Ott in the process, his basketball mind and his vision for the Suns impressed Ishbia and the rest of the Suns' brass. The recently-fired Mike Budenholzer was clearly not a fit with this roster last season, but Ott showed that he can bring something different to the table that will make this Phoenix squad a little bit more creative.
"During their interview process with Jordan Ott, Phoenix realized there were a few things they hadn't been doing on the basketball front, which showcased Ott's 'cutting-edge' mind on the offensive end," Bourguet wrote. "His communication, defensive creativity and work ethic have also been highlighted, including his commitment to studying league-wide trends and pathways to implementing them."
It remains to be seen how Ott will work out in year one with the Suns or what kind of talent he will be working with on the roster, but it's clear that Ishbia and company believe that he can be the right guy to lead them forward into the next era. While he lacks head coaching experience, they still think that he is the man for the job.
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