Mat Ishbia believes the Phoenix Suns have completed a reset of the franchise this offseason after trading away Kevin Durant and using the stretch-and-waive provision on Bradley Beal. The Suns have added Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams via trade while also drafting Khaman Maluach, Rasheed Fleming and Koby Brea.
“We have young players that are ascending instead of players that are descending,” Ishbia said. “We have players that wanna be here, that are bought into the Phoenix Suns’ culture. I can take the criticism for not defining (that culture) well enough when I bought the team, but it is defined very clearly now.
“There is not a player on the team that does not understand what we’re about. There’s not a coach, there’s not anyone in the front office that does not understand that it’s for the fans, and we’re gonna develop a team that they’re gonna be proud of year in and year out.”
Ishbia admits he misjudged how close the Suns were to winning a championship when he assumed control of the franchise in 2023 and immediately made a significant trade for Durant.
“When I bought the Suns originally, I thought we were on third base,” Ishbia said. “Now, I’ve set a vision. I’ve said, ‘Hey, I know what kind of guys I want, we ain’t trading for guys who aren’t like this.’
“Do I expect it to take a couple years to get to the point where you’re like, ‘Wow, I see the vision?’ Yes.”
