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There will be no shortage of newness with the Phoenix Suns this season. 61% of the roster turned over, eleven fresh faces in purple and orange, plus a new general manager and a first-time head coach. With that comes speculation, curiosity, and plenty of unanswered questions.
We all have theories about who this team will become, how they’ll function, and whether they’ll succeed. We craft our arguments, we point to patterns, but the truth is simple: until this version of the Phoenix Suns takes the floor, we’re no wiser than the next fan in line.
There’s no blueprint to pull from with Jordan Ott. He’s never held the reins as an NBA head coach. It’s not like Frank Vogel, where the label of “defensive coach” provided a framework. Or Mike Budenholzer, who carried a clear identity of spacing and threes. With Ott, it’s all question marks and all projection.
So the real question becomes: what matters more this season? Offensive execution or defensive execution? Balance is always the ideal, sure, but when you sketch out your version of what these Suns will be, which side carries more weight? Do you believe their path to success lies in a collective, connected defense that builds trust possession by possession? Or do you put your chips on the offense? On a first-year head coach implementing a scheme that maximizes talent and sets a rhythm this roster has lacked?
Year one won’t define Jordan Ott as a head coach, but it will reveal what he values most; what his true basketball philosophy looks like when the ball tips. In his opening press conference, Ott made it clear: he wants to win the possession battle. That means forcing turnovers and controlling the glass.
The problem? He doesn’t exactly have a roster built to dominate the boards. Mark Williams helps, no doubt, but whoever takes the power forward spot, whether it be Ryan Dunn or Royce O’Neale, comes with limitations. Neither has a history of being the kind of physical, high-volume rebounder you’d lean on to swing games. Which means, if Ott wants to hold true to his own philosophy, it’ll have to be rebounding by committee.
And that’s where things get interesting. Does Ott stick to his stated principles, tailoring everything around possessions won and possessions lost? Or does he adjust on the fly, bending his philosophy to match the roster instead of forcing the roster to fit the philosophy?
From your perspective, what should take precedence? Is it defense-first, grinding out extra possessions? Or is it maximizing this roster’s offensive talent, even if it means living with some rebounding shortcomings? Drop your thoughts below.
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