Latest news with #BrianGregory
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phoenix Suns Have Offseason Bol Bol Verdict Before Free Agency
Phoenix Suns Have Offseason Bol Bol Verdict Before Free Agency originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Phoenix Suns are in the midst of a critical offseason. After a miserable season in which they went just 36-46, they failed to qualify for any sort of postseason, finishing as the No. 11 seed in a loaded Western Conference. This comes on the heels of being swept out of the 2024 NBA Playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Advertisement Changes began immediately, starting with the firing of head coach Mike Budenholzer. They later hired Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Jordan Ott to replace him, although the Suns still owe Budenholzer $40 million. The Suns also made a significant change at general manager when they moved James Jones into a senior advisory role to make way for Brian Gregory. Phoenix Suns have offseason Bol Bol verdict before free agency Gregory likely worked closely with owner Mat Ishbia before the deal was made to send star forward Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-round picks. It was notable that the Suns used that 10th pick to draft center Khaman Maluach out of Duke. They then shocked many by trading the No. 29 pick and a 2031 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams. With all of the moves made to bolster their frontcourt, that likely means the Suns will look to move certain players or just not bring them back. Advertisement According to Arizona Sports radio host John Gambadoro, it seems as though a decision has already been made regarding one of their pending free agents. "The Suns are expected to let Bol Bol walk in free agency, via [Gambadoro," Legion Hoops posted on X. To some, Bol Bol was the original Victor Wembanyama. At 7-foot-3, Bol displayed the ability to hit the outside shot and put the ball on the floor. Many were pessimistic when Wembanyama entered the league because they felt we had seen his prototype before in Bol. Bol had some strong showings in February, but they didn't translate into wins. Bol's rare blend of his size with his skillset will likely be enough to land him somewhere in free agency, but it's hard to envision him playing meaningful minutes on a playoff team. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Suns Could Trade Mark Williams' Former Teammate After Hornets Deal
Suns Could Trade Mark Williams' Former Teammate After Hornets Deal originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Phoenix Suns are undergoing significant changes this offseason, affecting their roster, coaching, and front office. Following a season in which they went just 36-46, they fired head coach Mike Budenholzer for failing to even reach the NBA Play-In Tournament. Advertisement That proved to be just the first significant move the Suns would make, as they shortly after moved James Jones into an advisory position while promoting Brian Gregory to the general manager position. Gregory and owner Mat Ishbia's relationship goes back to their days together at Michigan State, where Ishbia was a player and Gregory and assistant coach on the 2000 National Championship team. Memphis Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr. and Charlotte Hornets center Mark Thomas-Imagn Images Suns could trade Mark Williams' former teammate after Hornets deal Gregory executed a move that was long in the making when he traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall pick, and five second-round picks. The Suns used the tenth pick to select Duke center Khaman Maluach. Advertisement The center position was a serious need for the Suns. So much so, that even after using a top-ten pick on a center, the Suns announced they were trading the No. 29 pick and a 2029 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams. Forbes NBA writer Evan Sidery believes more moves could be made regarding the frontcourt, and it could involve one of Mark Williams' former teammates. "The Suns could make Nick Richards available after acquiring Mark Williams, per Evan Sidery," Legion Hoops posted on X. Williams and Richards were teammates from 2022 until mid-January of this season, when the Suns send Josh Okogie and three second-round picks for Richards. Advertisement Williams was part of a significant trade last year that would've sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap and a 2031 first-round pick. However, Williams failed his physical, and the trade was rescinded. It remains to be seen what moves Ishbia, Gregory and the Suns have for this offseason, but they've been quite busy to this point and more could be to come later this summer when free agency opens up. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Suns' drafting of Khaman Maluach continues an offseason theme that's hard to miss
PHOENIX — Hours before the NBA Draft, Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory discussed draft strategy with owner Mat Ishbia. He told his boss he didn't think Duke center Khaman Maluach would be available when the Suns selected at No. 10. Then, as the draft started to get closer, Gregory realized maybe he was wrong. Advertisement That's the beauty of this event. It doesn't always go as planned. Wednesday night, this was to the Suns' benefit. Phoenix is an organization in transition. Four days earlier, the Suns had agreed in principle on a trade that would send superstar Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for guard Jalen Green, league menace Dillon Brooks, the 10th pick in the draft and five second-round picks. The 10th pick was a big deal for the Suns because it allowed them to not only sweeten the deal but also acquire young talent. Maluach fits perfectly. As it turns out, when Phoenix hired new coach Jordan Ott, everyone focused on the wrong part of his background — the Michigan State roots he shared with Ishbia and Gregory, the former a former Michigan State guard, the latter a former Michigan State assistant coach. A better place to examine was the time Ott spent last season in Cleveland as an assistant coach on Kenny Atkinson's staff. There, Ott helped mold a Cavs team that finished with the league's eighth-best defensive rating — a team that featured twin towers in the frontcourt with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. It would be hard for the Suns to duplicate this level of talent — Mobley and Allen are former All-Stars and among the league's better interior defenders — but the blueprint is there. Last season, the Suns experienced stretches when they struggled to stop anybody, particularly inside. They ranked 27th in defensive rating and were among the league's worst teams in rim protection. They desperately needed a defensive anchor. On Wednesday, they got two. Not long after acquiring Maluach, the Suns agreed in principle on a trade with the Charlotte Hornets, sending their other first-round pick, No. 29, and a 2029 first-round selection for 7-foot center Mark Williams. ESPN first reported the trade, which The Athletic confirmed. After the draft, Gregory couldn't comment on the Durant and Williams deals because the NBA had yet to finalize them, but he was free to discuss Maluach. He said the Suns did not have the 7-foot-1 center in for a workout, but they had scouted him in person more than eight times. He called Maluach a great defensive presence, someone who could not only protect the rim but also defend on the perimeter. Advertisement At the draft in Brooklyn, N.Y., Maluach, who turns 19 in September, told reporters this was a day he would never forget. Born in South Sudan and raised in Uganda, he had not started playing basketball until 2019, doing so only because someone had suggested it because of his height. At Duke, Maluach was a force around the rim, a constant lob threat on offense and a big part of Duke's journey to the Final Four, where it lost to Houston. He averaged 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds in 21.3 minutes. He shot 71.2 percent from the field. Seventy-seven of his 136 field goals — 56.6 percent — came on dunks. 'Obviously, that's a big part of the NBA game, being able to put pressure on the rim offensively,' Gregory said. 'How do you do that? You do that by paint touches off of drives and cuts, and you do that by being able to throw the ball to various guys at the rim. He is tremendous in that. He's a great on-ball screener. Rolls extremely well. Has great hands. Can catch the ball. He's going to be a threat for us at the rim.' After missing the playoffs last season, Ishbia promised change. Over the previous two seasons, the Suns relied on the scoring touch of Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal. Ishbia wanted a more defensive-minded team, one that won with grit and toughness. How that will look is still unknown. The Phoenix makeover is incomplete. Once the Durant deal goes final, the Suns will have an overflow of guards and wings with Booker, Green, Brooks, Beal, Royce O'Neale and Grayson Allen. They also will have three centers: Maluach, Williams and Nick Richards. Williams, 23, last season was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline, but the move was rescinded after he failed a physical examination. In 44 games with Charlotte, he averaged 15.3 points and 10.2 rebounds. Richards, who joined the Suns at the trade deadline, averaged 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds in 36 games. Advertisement 'Mark has been in the league for a couple years, and I'm going to learn a lot from him,' Maluach said in Brooklyn. 'I'm going to learn how to navigate and how to get better and what I need to do to be able to play throughout the whole year.' He might need time to develop, but the Suns are confident Maluach provides what they need. It's become an offseason theme. 'When it comes to the pure toughness, all you got to do is watch one game,' Gregory said. 'You see the fact that he's not afraid to lay bodies on guys. We were not a very good rebounding team, offensively or defensively. There's got to be a physical aspect of that to be successful, and he definitely brings it.'
New York Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Suns trade Kevin Durant to Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, 1st-round pick: Sources
The Phoenix Suns are trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks, team sources told The Athletic. This marks the first blockbuster trade for Phoenix general manager Brian Gregory, a former college basketball coach who was promoted to his new role as part of a front-office revamp in May. After missing the playoffs with the league's highest payroll, owner Mat Ishbia set out to establish an organizational identity focused on toughness. Advertisement Durant will play for his fifth team, following stints with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix. He has one year left on his current contract at $54.7 million, and is eligible this summer for a two-year extension worth up to $122 million. The 15-time All-Star turns 37 in September. Durant's future in the desert became clear at this season's trade deadline. Fighting to reach .500, the underperforming Suns explored trading the superstar without informing him, something Durant did not appreciate. Over the season's final weeks, Durant seemed to accept his fate. With Phoenix lacking roster flexibility as a second-apron team, the Suns needed to reset. Trading him was their best option. Although fans appreciated Durant's greatness, his time in Phoenix will not be remembered fondly. He and Devin Booker never became a dominant duo, nor did they replicate the chemistry displayed last summer on Team USA's gold-medal run in Paris. Adding Bradley Beal before the 2023-24 season didn't help. A three-time All-Star and high-level scorer, Beal struggled to stay healthy and find a role. Overall, the Suns won one playoff series with Durant, a 2023 first-round series against a Los Angeles Clippers team missing key players. In 2024, the Suns were swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. This season, they didn't even make the play-in tournament. The Suns had a different head coach for all three of Durant's seasons. This will likely not be Phoenix's final move. The Suns are expected to try and part ways with Beal, but his salary (he is owed nearly $111 million over the next two seasons) and contract (he has a no-trade clause) will make that difficult. Phoenix explored moving Beal in February but never came close to making a deal. The Suns plan to build around Booker, a four-time All-Star and the franchise's career scoring leader. Over 10 years, Booker has experienced some of the best Phoenix seasons and some of the worst. He is eligible this summer for a two-year extension worth $150 million. Booker will play next season for Jordan Ott, a first-time head coach the Suns hired this month after an extensive search. This story will be updated.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Suns Have Reason to Avoid Spurs in Kevin Durant Trade
Suns Have Reason to Avoid Spurs in Kevin Durant Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After the Phoenix Suns finished the season with a disappointing 36-46 record and missed out on the NBA Playoffs, it wasn't surprising to see them start making changes. First, they fired head coach Mike Budenholzer. The Suns then made a significant change in the front office when they moved James Jones into a senior advisor role, and gave the general manager job to Brian Gregory. Advertisement Gregory and owner Mat Ishbia's relationship goes back to Michigan State when Ishbia was a player and Gregory an assistant coach on the 2000 team that won the National Championship. Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images The Suns have a reason to avoid Spurs in Kevin Durant trade Gregory is someone hand-picked by Ishbia and will likely work closely with Gregory in regards to any transactions made this offseason, particularly and especially Kevin Durant. It was rumored at the trade deadline that the Suns were considering moving Durant, but no deal was ever made. Instead, they tried to put together a late-season run to sneak into the NBA Play-In Tournament, but those hopes were dashed when Durant suffered an ankle injury. Advertisement Many teams have been rumored to be in the mix for Durant, including the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are an up-and-coming team that has a lot of promise with Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle. The Spurs are interested in adding Durant and making a run this upcoming season. However, according to Jake Fischer of "The Stein Line," the Suns aren't pleased with the offers they've received from them. "The Spurs are only willing to discuss veterans such as Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes," wrote Fischer. The Suns don't want to lose Durant for nothing, and that's understandable. If they're going to part with a generational superstar, they feel they need some type of young player with potential back in the trade, not a stockpile of veterans. Advertisement The Suns could be on the clock regarding a trade, especially if they decide they want a package centered around draft picks rather than a young player. With the draft less than two weeks away, a trade could be coming sooner rather than later. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
