The Phoenix Suns are preparing for the 2026-27 NBA season with training camp under way, and former head coach Mike D’Antoni believes the franchise has important pieces in place with Devin Booker and second-year head coach Jordan Ott.
D’Antoni, who coached Phoenix from 2003-08 and helped usher in the franchise's high-powered “Seven Seconds or Less” era, expressed confidence in the Suns' direction during a recent interview with Kyle Odegard of Action Network.
“They've got a great coach in Jordan Ott. Devin Booker always represents the franchise and himself really well. They have a chance. It's not easy for anybody.”
Ott enters his second season after overseeing a significant turnaround in his first year as head coach. Phoenix improved from 36-46 in 2024-25 to 45-37 last season, earning a spot in the Play-In Tournament despite undergoing a major roster overhaul during the offseason.
The Suns eventually advanced through the Play-In Tournament to secure the Western Conference's No. 8 seed, setting up a first-round matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Phoenix's season ended there, however, as Oklahoma City swept the Suns in four games.
Still, the six-win improvement and playoff appearance represented progress for a franchise that missed the postseason entirely the previous year. Ott accomplished that while navigating a reshaped roster following the blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets and brought Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to Phoenix.
Booker remained the centerpiece throughout the transition and will once again lead the Suns as they attempt to build on Ott's first season.
Mike D’Antoni praises Mat Ishbia’s commitment to Suns
D’Antoni also spoke positively about Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who has aggressively pursued roster upgrades since purchasing the franchise in 2023.
“He seems like he wants to win, and that's big. He's not afraid to spend money. He's doing it the right way.”
D’Antoni's connection to Phoenix stretches back decades. His tenure with the Suns became the defining chapter of his NBA coaching career, with the franchise emerging as a contender behind Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion.
He also credited longtime Suns owner and executive Jerry Colangelo with changing the trajectory of his career.
“(Colangelo) changed my life. When I came to Phoenix and got the opportunity to coach the Suns with the team that we had. Him and Bryan, his son, what they put together, it changed everything. It changed the trajectory of my career. Not only that, he's been a good friend, a mentor. I can't say enough about him.”
D’Antoni eventually won two NBA Coach of the Year awards, including his first with Phoenix in 2004-05, while his offensive philosophy became influential across the league.
With Booker continuing to anchor the roster and Ott coming off a promising first season, D’Antoni sees reasons for optimism as Phoenix begins another campaign under Ishbia's ownership.