Insiders Reveal Why Suns Hired New Head Coach

The Phoenix Suns reportedly have found their next head coach.

Jordan Ott is set to become the 23rd head coach in Suns franchise history after the news broke on Wednesday.

Ott was a finalist alongside fellow Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant - though Ott received the nod, and stamp of approval from Devin Booker as his top choice.

Why Suns Hired Jordan Ott

"Ott, 40, has been an NBA assistant coach since 2012 and has been rooted in principles of strong offensive and defensive creativity, player development and toughness," ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania shared after the hire.

"He's known around the NBA as a strong communicator with his players and coaching staff and someone who spends an incredible amount of time studying trends and pathways to adjust based on new patterns, sources said."

Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro also added, "What they liked about Ott was work ethic/drive and a different level of sophistication with his offensive system than the other candidates. Got seal of approval from Devin Booker. And Steve Nash had very positive feedback as well."

Who is Jordan Ott?

Ott spent last season helping the Cavaliers reach 60+ wins and the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Before then, he spent time with the Atlanta Hawks as their video coordinator before taking assistant roles with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers.

Ott also has Michigan State ties, which surely helped his case with owner Mat Ishbia, who has shown a pretty hefty bias towards his fellow Spartans in his short tenure as Suns owner.

Ott becomes Phoenix's fourth head coach in as many seasons after taking over for the fired Mike Budenholzer. The Suns finished with a 36-46 record and missed the postseason entirely last season.

Is Ott What Suns Need?

The Suns were looking for a completely different dynamic/shift in how they approached their head coach process, especially considering their last two hires were big names that didn't quite command the respect of the locker room.

Phoenix reportedly wanted a younger coach who could help establish a true identity while excelling at fostering player relationships.

Ott seems to fit that bill fairly well.

“Long-time assistant coach. Well respected. Great at player development. He's expanded his role since as he was elevated,” NBA insider Chris Haynes reported on Ott earlier in the hiring process.

Time will ultimately tell if Ott can fill those shoes, but his resume certainly suggests he could.