The Cleveland Cavaliers knew that either Jordan Ott or Johnnie Bryant would become the next coach of the Suns, as both had advanced to the final round. On Wednesday, Phoenix made the hiring official, selecting Ott as the team's new head coach.
Ott (and Bryant) joined Kenny Atkinson's staff last year. The 40-year-old previously spent time as an assistant with the Lakers and Nets. The Suns wanted a first-time head coach, and they decided to go with Ott. Like Ishbia (and Phoenix's new GM Brian Gregory), Ott has ties to Michigan State. He served as a video coordinator on Tom Izzo's staff from 2008 to 2013.
Ott met with Ishbia, Gregory, and Josh Bartelstein in Michigan on Tuesday. Bryant did the same. It didn't take long after that for the Suns to make their decision. Shams Charania reported that star guard Devin Booker was part of the search process, and he selected Ott as his top choice.
The assistant's stay in Cleveland was brief, but memorable. He was part of a season where the Cavaliers became the fourth team in NBA history to win 64 games. That success didn't translate to the playoffs, as Cleveland came up short against Indiana in the semifinals.
It would be a win for Ott if he guided Phoenix past the first round of the playoffs next year, an unlikely scenario in a stacked Western Conference. Coaching in the NBA is a challenging job, made even more difficult for Ott due to the Suns' situation.
Suns name Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott next head coach
Even though Ott was selected, that doesn't mean Bryant is guaranteed to return to Cleveland next season. On Tuesday, New York shockingly fired Tom Thibodeau. Before joining the Cavaliers on Atkinson's staff, Bryant spent several years with the Knicks. He could be part of New York's search.
The Cavaliers knew that Ott and Bryant might not hang around in Ohio for long, given that they were part of several head coaching searches before joining the Cavaliers. It's a good thing to have sought-after names on the coaching staff, but on the flip side, it does sting when they leave. That doesn't mean that Cleveland isn't happy for Ott. It's a huge opportunity.
It remains to be seen whether Ott will be the only one on staff to leave this summer. That news will break sooner rather than later, with the draft around the corner. The Knicks don't want to be without a head coach for long.