New Suns GM Addresses Elephant in Room

PHOENIX -- Phoenix Suns new general manager Brian Gregory addressed the one of the elephants in the room head on in his introductory press conference Tuesday.

"I'm never going to shy away from the fact that one of the reasons I'm sitting up here is because of my relationship with Mat Ishbia," Gregory said.

Gregory was was an assistant at Michigan State from 1999-2003, while Suns owner Mat Ishbia was a walk-on for the Spartans from 1999-2002. The two were both part of MSU's 2000 national championship team.

Ishbia, who has been the Suns owner since Feb. 2023, promised big changes were coming this offseason throughout the organization, but instead of electing to go for an outside hire for general manager, Gregory was promoted from within despite limited NBA experience.

"Mat and I are aligned ... that relationship is founded on that alignment, shared values, shared work ethic," Gregory said. "We've been through a lot together, and he trusts me, and I trust him, and he has empowered me with this responsibility of executing the vision that we've put forth.

"We share the same vision of what our team needs to look like and how we need to play, and how that can lead to successful teams."

Gregory only has two years of experience in an NBA front office, which have both come the past two seasons with Phoenix, first as a consultant in 2023 and then the vice president of player programming in the 2024-25 season. Before joining the Suns, Gregory was a Division I men's basketball head coach for 19 years for the University of South Florida (2017-23), Georgia Tech (2011-16) and at the University of Dayton (2003-11).

“Brian has been a valuable member of our front office, playing an integral role in drafting and developing our young players," Ishbia said in a press release on Gregory last week. "I am excited for him to step in to the role of general manager. He is a brilliant basketball mind, and he will transform and elevate our team.”

Gregory is now thrust into the role of leading the charge of what will be arguably the most eventful offseason in Suns history with a head coaching vacancy, two draft picks (29 and 53), the uncertain futures of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and doing anything to improve after a highly disappointing 36-46 season all while currently facing the limitations of the second-tax apron.

"That relationship with Matt is a key factor (for getting the job)," Gregory said. "But I also think my body of work over my 30 some years of basketball has put me in a position where the leadership aspects of this job, as I said, I'm excited about that, and I think that (I'm not) necessarily driven by to prove people wrong or anything like that.

"But I will say this, I understand that, to the fans and to (the media), I'm going to be held accountable to executing this vision. I'm going to be held accountable to the success of this team. I completely understand that. I don't shy away from that either. You know that actually excites me."