Suns open 2025-26 season with Booker-led rebuild under Ott

The Phoenix Suns opened the 2025-26 season remade around Devin Booker after a sweeping offseason that sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, ended Bradley Beal’s stint in Phoenix with a buyout, and brought a younger core to the Valley. The moves coincide with a new coaching staff and front office leadership: first-year head coach Jordan Ott and first-year general manager Brian Gregory are tasked with guiding a roster that includes newcomers Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams and rookie Khaman Maluach alongside Booker and several holdovers.

The turnover follows a 36-46 finish that prompted the team to abandon its recent pursuit of an instant superteam and instead prioritize youth, toughness and financial flexibility. Owner Mat Ishbia said the decision was not a reflection on Durant’s talent but on the direction the franchise wants to take. “Kevin Durant’s a great player. There’s no one that can ever question that,” Ishbia said, adding that the organization was looking forward rather than back.

Booker, the Suns’ longest-tenured player and the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, signed a contract extension this offseason that keeps him in Phoenix through 2030. At media...