New Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory agrees with team owner Mat Ishbia that their 2024-25 squad should’ve won more than 36 games under Mike Budenholzer.
A roster shakeup seems imminent, but Gregory said the Suns have a “pretty talented roster” as of right now.
“What we have not been able to do is to either create an environment or figure out the combinations that give us the best opportunity for that talented roster to perform even better, but there’s a baseline or foundation of talent that I think can put us in a good position moving forward,” Gregory said.
Finishing 10 games under .500 and failing even to reach the play-in may call into question that “talented roster” comment. As of now, the Suns’ priority involves an “extensive process” to hire a new head coach, Gregory said.
“My main focus right now is hiring the next head coach of the Phoenix Suns, and hiring a great one,” he said, during an introductory news conference on Tuesday, May 6, at the team’s practice facility.
The new hire will become Phoenix’s fourth head coach in four seasons. Ishbia fired Monty Williams, Frank Vogel and Budenholzer in consecutive seasons after acquiring the team in February 2023.
“Finding that head coach that is aligned, finding that head coach that has the attributes that are important to us,” Gregory continued. “Unbelievable basketball IQ. Tremendous communicator. Shares our vision and what we understand needs to be done to be successful in basketball in this new NBA.”
Gregory has never coached in the NBA, but was a head coach on the NCAA Division I level for 19 seasons before joining the Suns as a consultant in 2023.
“The toughness, the physicality, all those different things and has the ability to hold the players accountable to doing that,” Gregory added. “Playing and having a systematic approach offensively and defensively. Those attributes in addition to understanding this is what our identity is and we’re going to coach to this on a daily basis.”
Gregory will look to gather Devin Booker’s thoughts about the future head coach.
“There is an unbelievable amount of respect I have for Devin in terms of how he goes about the professionalism and all those different things, but his voice is very, very important for us,” Gregory said, noting Booker contacted him to offer congratulations after he was named general manager.
Booker just finished the first year of his four-year supermax deal for $220 million. The franchise’s all-time leading scorer is up for a two-year extension for $149.8 million.
“He’s seen a lot,” Gregory continued about Booker. “He’s got a high basketball IQ. With the coaches, talking with him in terms of what are the attributes that make a great NBA coach right now. It’s probably changed in the time since he’s been in the league. Getting that input from him, but getting that input from other players as well is very, very important. That collaborative effort within the NBA is becoming more and more crucial for success.”
Booker just finished his 10th NBA season as he’s played for seven different head coaches.
“You’ve got players who have played a long time, players who have seen a lot of different things,” Gregory continued. “If you’re not in touch with them and communicating with them, I think it puts you in a difficult spot. So from a front office perspective, and obviously, back to the coaching perspective, those things are very, very important for us because if you don’t do that, there’s no way you can build the alignment.”
Ishbia has called for changes after such a disappointing season. The offseason narrative has the Suns looking to part ways with superstar Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Gregory has been in recent contact with both.
“I have a very good relationship with both of those guys,” Gregory said. “Kevin gave me a nice hug in the weight room the other night when it (his GM hiring) came across Twitter. I had a great dinner with Brad Beal last Thursday, I think it was. We talked a little bit about summer plans and things like that. My main focus right now, to be honest with you, is getting the right coach for those guys.”
The Suns entertained trade opportunities involving Durant right before the 2025 trade deadline.
The 36-year-old Durant, who remains one of the NBA’s best players, is up for a two-year extension for $123.8 million, but Phoenix has fallen short of expectations during his tenure with the franchise.
Durant is entering the final year of his $194-million contract.
The Suns formed a Big 3 in trading for Beal in the 2023 offseason in a deal that sent Chris Paul to the Washington Wizards, who later moved him to Golden State. Beal came to Phoenix looking to compete for a championship, but he’s only played a combined 106 games in two seasons, largely due to injuries.
Booker, Durant and Beal played a total of 78 games together over the course of two seasons. Phoenix went 45-33 with those three in the lineup.
From Tuesday:
“I think we have a pretty talented roster.”
New Suns GM Brian Gregory.
“What we have not been able to do is to either create an environment or figure out the combinations that give us the best opportunity for that talented roster to perform even better, but… pic.twitter.com/WFPgInFYLm
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) May 7, 2025
Booker addressed late this season the idea of continuing with the Big 3.
“I love playing with both of them,” Booker said. “Even the moments that we played together, they haven’t been to what we expected or wanted out of it, but good things do take some time to build and they take experience. We haven’t had a lot of that, but that’s not a good excuse to fall back on.”
Beal has two years left on his five-year, $251-million contract, which includes a no-trade clause, with a player option on the final year of the deal that’s scheduled to pay him $57.1 million.
The Suns are projected to remain over the second tax apron, a position that limits roster flexibility. How they handle Durant and Beal will factor into where they financially end up.
“We understand the cap situation,” Gregory said. “And when the time comes, if we need to make that decision, then we’ll make that decision. The one thing I can tell you is this: Whenever you see a decision by the Phoenix Suns, whatever it is, whatever it’s pertaining to, you can mark it down, that’s an aligned decision. That everybody is on the same page.”
Gregory described his ideal roster by how he wants fans to react after seeing the Suns play.
“Man, that team plays hard,” he said. “That is the most unselfish team that I’ve ever seen. Did you see the second and third effort that team made on the defensive end? Every loose ball, that team was on the floor. That team looked like they enjoy playing with each other. They play with joy, they play with juice, they play with all of those things. That’s identity because now, that’s not just talked about. People feel it and with roster and the roster we’re going to build, if they feel it, things are going to be very good.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New Suns GM connected with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal
New Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory agrees with team owner Mat Ishbia that their 2024-25 squad should’ve won more than 36 games under Mike Budenholzer.
A roster shakeup seems imminent, but Gregory said the Suns have a “pretty talented roster” as of right now.
“What we have not been able to do is to either create an environment or figure out the combinations that give us the best opportunity for that talented roster to perform even better, but there’s a baseline or foundation of talent that I think can put us in a good position moving forward,” Gregory said.
Finishing 10 games under .500 and failing even to reach the play-in may call into question that “talented roster” comment. As of now, the Suns’ priority involves an “extensive process” to hire a new head coach, Gregory said.
“My main focus right now is hiring the next head coach of the Phoenix Suns, and hiring a great one,” he said, during an introductory news conference on Tuesday, May 6, at the team’s practice facility.
The new hire will become Phoenix’s fourth head coach in four seasons. Ishbia fired Monty Williams, Frank Vogel and Budenholzer in consecutive seasons after acquiring the team in February 2023.
“Finding that head coach that is aligned, finding that head coach that has the attributes that are important to us,” Gregory continued. “Unbelievable basketball IQ. Tremendous communicator. Shares our vision and what we understand needs to be done to be successful in basketball in this new NBA.”
Gregory has never coached in the NBA, but was a head coach on the NCAA Division I level for 19 seasons before joining the Suns as a consultant in 2023.
“The toughness, the physicality, all those different things and has the ability to hold the players accountable to doing that,” Gregory added. “Playing and having a systematic approach offensively and defensively. Those attributes in addition to understanding this is what our identity is and we’re going to coach to this on a daily basis.”
Gregory will look to gather Devin Booker’s thoughts about the future head coach.
“There is an unbelievable amount of respect I have for Devin in terms of how he goes about the professionalism and all those different things, but his voice is very, very important for us,” Gregory said, noting Booker contacted him to offer congratulations after he was named general manager.
Booker just finished the first year of his four-year supermax deal for $220 million. The franchise’s all-time leading scorer is up for a two-year extension for $149.8 million.
“He’s seen a lot,” Gregory continued about Booker. “He’s got a high basketball IQ. With the coaches, talking with him in terms of what are the attributes that make a great NBA coach right now. It’s probably changed in the time since he’s been in the league. Getting that input from him, but getting that input from other players as well is very, very important. That collaborative effort within the NBA is becoming more and more crucial for success.”
Booker just finished his 10th NBA season as he’s played for seven different head coaches.
“You’ve got players who have played a long time, players who have seen a lot of different things,” Gregory continued. “If you’re not in touch with them and communicating with them, I think it puts you in a difficult spot. So from a front office perspective, and obviously, back to the coaching perspective, those things are very, very important for us because if you don’t do that, there’s no way you can build the alignment.”
Ishbia has called for changes after such a disappointing season. The offseason narrative has the Suns looking to part ways with superstar Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Gregory has been in recent contact with both.
“I have a very good relationship with both of those guys,” Gregory said. “Kevin gave me a nice hug in the weight room the other night when it (his GM hiring) came across Twitter. I had a great dinner with Brad Beal last Thursday, I think it was. We talked a little bit about summer plans and things like that. My main focus right now, to be honest with you, is getting the right coach for those guys.”
The Suns entertained trade opportunities involving Durant right before the 2025 trade deadline.
The 36-year-old Durant, who remains one of the NBA’s best players, is up for a two-year extension for $123.8 million, but Phoenix has fallen short of expectations during his tenure with the franchise.
Durant is entering the final year of his $194-million contract.
The Suns formed a Big 3 in trading for Beal in the 2023 offseason in a deal that sent Chris Paul to the Washington Wizards, who later moved him to Golden State. Beal came to Phoenix looking to compete for a championship, but he’s only played a combined 106 games in two seasons, largely due to injuries.
Booker, Durant and Beal played a total of 78 games together over the course of two seasons. Phoenix went 45-33 with those three in the lineup.
From Tuesday:
“I think we have a pretty talented roster.”
New Suns GM Brian Gregory.
“What we have not been able to do is to either create an environment or figure out the combinations that give us the best opportunity for that talented roster to perform even better, but… pic.twitter.com/WFPgInFYLm
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) May 7, 2025
Booker addressed late this season the idea of continuing with the Big 3.
“I love playing with both of them,” Booker said. “Even the moments that we played together, they haven’t been to what we expected or wanted out of it, but good things do take some time to build and they take experience. We haven’t had a lot of that, but that’s not a good excuse to fall back on.”
Beal has two years left on his five-year, $251-million contract, which includes a no-trade clause, with a player option on the final year of the deal that’s scheduled to pay him $57.1 million.
The Suns are projected to remain over the second tax apron, a position that limits roster flexibility. How they handle Durant and Beal will factor into where they financially end up.
“We understand the cap situation,” Gregory said. “And when the time comes, if we need to make that decision, then we’ll make that decision. The one thing I can tell you is this: Whenever you see a decision by the Phoenix Suns, whatever it is, whatever it’s pertaining to, you can mark it down, that’s an aligned decision. That everybody is on the same page.”
Gregory described his ideal roster by how he wants fans to react after seeing the Suns play.
“Man, that team plays hard,” he said. “That is the most unselfish team that I’ve ever seen. Did you see the second and third effort that team made on the defensive end? Every loose ball, that team was on the floor. That team looked like they enjoy playing with each other. They play with joy, they play with juice, they play with all of those things. That’s identity because now, that’s not just talked about. People feel it and with roster and the roster we’re going to build, if they feel it, things are going to be very good.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New Suns GM connected with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal
