PHOENIX – As the Suns prepared to open training camp, they expressed the typical optimism that comes with every team’s Media Day. They spoke about players getting stronger, off-season connectivity and building on what they accomplished last season when they were a play-in team.
“We know what it feels like,” said Suns coach Jordan Ott, who led the Suns to an eighth-place finish in the Western Conference during his first season. “We actually feel it. Definitely like we’re in a good spot, but nothing’s ever taken for granted with any of us, knowing how hard it is to repeat success or to even build on it.”
However, owner Mat Ishbia also addressed a couple of questions Monday that have been hanging over the team in the offseason. Ishbia insisted that financial issues with his business, United Wholesale Mortgage, will have “zero” impact on the basketball organization.
“Am I still going to pay the luxury tax? Yes,” said Ishbia, who revealed that he has purchased another 14% of the team and now personally owns 80% of the franchise. “Are we still going to do crazy things for the fans? Yes, yes, yes. I always say this, ‘I don’t own the team, it’s the city’s team.’”
Ishbia also answered questions about the team’s acquisition of controversial forward Miles Bridges in an off-season trade. In 2022, Bridges pleaded no contest to a domestic abuse charge and was placed on probation. He was later accused of violating the conditions of his probation, but a criminal summons was subsequently dropped.
“Off the court, what Miles did was unacceptable,” Ishbia said. “Cannot be condoned by anyone in America. That’s just completely wrong. He’s been held accountable, he’s shown remorse. We have standards here in Phoenix, and that’s not to our standards, and that will not be allowed near that type of level here in Phoenix.”
Most of the focus, however, was on basketball, and Suns star Devin Booker noted that the team spent much of the offseason working together, building comaraderie during workouts in the Valley and on trips to Toronto, Las Vegas and Flagstaff.
“We got together a few times as a full team,” Booker said. “We all met in (Las) Vegas. We all were in Flagstaff. And this past month, we’ve been running a lot of open gym, probably three times a week.”
Booker even revealed that second-year center Khaman Maluach had reached out to him and asked to work out with him individually. He and Maluach kept ending up at the team’s practice facility at the same time of night, Booker said.
“And then one time, he just texted me and was like, ‘Can we get some work in together?’” Booker said. “I think that guard-and-big relationship is super important.”
Suns guard Jalen Green also pointed to the team-building that went on in the offseason.
“Everybody has been grinding together, from young guys to the vets,” Green said. “You can’t really ask nothing better from the organization (than) to have the whole team here and working together, chasing the same goal.”
Players also sought improvement on their own, notably Dillon Brooks, who spent time in China studying martial arts and Taoism, which he believes can apply on the court.
“I learned how to center myself,” Brooks said. “Simplify my life. Focus on what I need to focus on. Learned a little way of life, synergy. It’s going to be a little bit tough, going from state to state to play basketball games, but I can take a little bit with centering myself. Those are the things I take from (it).”
Despite his off-court problems in the past, the Suns gave up two of their best 3-point shooters, Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen, to obtain the 6-foot-7, 225-pound forward from the Charlotte Hornets. He averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists last season.
When the Suns introduced Bridges after the July trade, general manager Brian Gregory, who was a consultant at Michigan State when Bridges played there, said the team had done its due diligence before making the deal.
“We conducted a thorough evaluation,” Gregory said at the time. “Miles has taken responsibility for his actions. He’s shown remorse for those actions. He’s gone through counseling and is continually on a daily basis doing things for his personal growth.”
Bridges also addressed his past history at that initial press conference.
“It’s mixed feelings about me being here,” Bridges said. “I take full responsibility of my actions. I’ve been to counseling, I’ve been to therapy. Right now, I’m just prioritizing just being better as a man everyday, on and off the court, mainly off the court and earning the trust of this fanbase.”
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
