The Suns have finally solved one piece of the puzzle. Last Friday, the team officially announced the hiring of their new head coach, Jordan Ott. While the voice in the locker room for next season has been determined, one major dilemma is yet to be resolved. The Kevin Durant situation. Following the embarrassing end to their season, finishing as the eleventh seed and missing the playoffs, speculations are that the Suns are looking to trade KD and start fresh. Amid the buzz, GM Brian Gregory is yet to make a firm statement on the two-time champ’s future.
During Ott’s introductory press conference, Gregory and the new head coach were asked how they plan on moving forward with their building process amid Durant’s uncertainty. The GM replied, “Again, we look at all our players, and Jordan and I have talked and as you mentioned Jordan has obviously taught the world to Kevin, has a great relationship, coached him, the whole bit. But as you know, I appreciate you asking the question. I know you have to ask it. But as you know, when it comes to contract negotiations, player contracts and so forth, we don’t discuss those.”
Although Gregory broke silence on the KD situation, he kept his response vague. He continued, “It’s something that in terms of our team and so forth, we’re always talking about building our team.” The GM’s primary focus is on building the team, whether it’s with or without Durant.
While Brian refused to dive deeper into the internal negotiations, reports suggest that several teams have shown active interest in acquiring KD. The Knicks are among the potential suitors. Per veteran insider Brian Windhorst, “The Knicks are definitely a team that is gonna have some interest in Kevin Durant. There are going to be a handful of them.”
While the Knicks were hailed for their breakout season—reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years—the abrupt firing of Tom Thibodeau and reports of internal dysfunction have cast a shadow over their momentum. Particularly concerning are Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive inconsistencies, which have prompted serious questions about his fit alongside Jalen Brunson as the team’s foundational duo. The doubts have grown so loud that Bill Simmons floated a blockbuster scenario: a straight-up Kevin Durant-for-KAT swap. “Durant has a year left, but you can extend him. The salaries actually work as a one-for-one,” Simmons noted, suggesting a potential path for the Knicks to pivot toward a win-now identity around Brunson and Durant.
However, to acquire him, James Dolan might have to give up several key assets. “The way the Knicks get this done is Karl-Anthony Towns. It has to do with the trade rules. It has to do with stuff like that. The Knicks would have to trade three rotation players otherwise. Just keep that in mind when you dream of your Knicks trades.” Windy remarked. KD is owed $54.7 million in salary next season, which makes acquiring him a bit tricky. That’s why Knicks might have to send KAT to Phoenix in exchange. Amid the trade buzz, Gregory and Ott have already begun mapping their strategy for next season.
Jordan Ott reveals Suns’ strategy while Brian Gregory emphasizes on collaborative effort for roster decisions
Per reports, the Suns are hoping to finalize the Durant trade before the upcoming draft. That would give them enough time to reset their roster and strategize for next season. And Jordan has already thought out how he wants the Suns to play going forward, “So, offensively playing faster. I think a way to look at it is playing earlier in the clock. We know the efficiency of offensive possessions, start high and they drop. So, how often can we get a good look early in the possession, so we’re gonna play fast. We’re gonna move, and the cutting piece is important.”
via Imago
Well, his strategy is not surprising because Ott is coming from the Cavs system, who thrive on playing fast-paced basketball. The first-time head coach has the same vision for the Phoenix team. On the defensive end, he wants his team to be more aggressive and give maximum effort. Most importantly, he emphasized on the importance of communication and collaboration, both on and off the court.
Of course, the head coach can only start executing his plan once his roster is finalized. That will not happen until the KD situation is resolved. So, Gregory confirmed that he and the head coach will work in collaboration to determine the right roster that can get the job done. Turns out, Ott has already participated in multiple draft workouts and debriefs. “When you have a common goal and a shared vision, it makes it a lot easier.” The GM added. It’s clear that Ott is coming in with a new vision for the Suns, regardless of KD’s future with the team. Thoughts?
