Overview

• Ishbia announced on August 15 that he is shifting to a direct, hands-on management style for both the Suns and Mercury after previous star-driven delegation underperformed.
• The Suns extended Devin Booker, traded Kevin Durant to the Rockets, and bought out Bradley Beal this offseason, centering the rebuild around Booker.
• New head coach Jordan Ott has been hired to implement clearer roles, sharper identity, and a private-sector mindset across daily operations.
• Ishbia highlighted the Mercury’s turnaround under coaches Nate Tibbetts and Nick Uren as proof that a process-driven culture can yield steady progress.
• He accepted personal accountability for the franchises’ results and forecasted visible improvement over the next two to three years to regain fan trust.