Can Jordan Ott Recreate Mike D'Antoni's Magic With Suns?

The Phoenix Suns are entering year two of the Jordan Ott era with sights set on improving the 45-37 mark that came about last season.

This is coming on the wheels of the legendary Mike D'Antoni finally being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame over the weekend, which has inherently re-opened dialogue about the "seven seconds or less" era in Phoenix.

The legendary system that was popularized by D'Antoni led to Phoenix putting together historic offensive outputs on a year-by-year basis. This was made possible by quick, high-set screens, spacing stationary shooters out in the corner, making decisive passes, and utilizing the big on the floor as a "pick your poison" scenario for defenses.

The system has bred many iterations of the same idea since, including the mid 2010's Golden State Warriors, but the original version is simply a spectacle to witness - even today. 

This begs the question - what can coach Ott do to draw inspiration from that era?

The truth is quite simple - Ott already does take inspiration. To an extent. 

Ott is already demonstrating that he has an affinity for utilizing the corner to a high degree, particularly in rookie Rasheer Fleming. He also stresses utilizing the early stretch of the shot clock effectively, making quick decisions, and showing players trust to take different shots in different situations.

These principles are most effectively contextualized in the five-man lineup of Collin Gillespie, Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Royce O'Neale, and Oso Ighodaro boasting the second-best half-court offensive rating in the entire NBA.

Ott took two three-point specialists, a dynamic two-guard, and an athletic, pass-first big around Booker. He made magic out of it between utilizing Ighodaro as a Swiss Army Knife, creating natural space for O'Neale/Allen, and allowing Booker/Green to do damage off of the dribble.

While D'Antoni's principles are present in Phoenix's offensive apparatus, there are personnel hold-ups that prevent something similar from being fully integrated. An offensive system akin to "seven seconds or less" needs an athlete to the degree of Shawn Marion. While Dillon Brooks is a solid faux simile, he isn't the same caliber of athlete as Marion. Khaman Maluach is also pending as far as becoming an Amar'e Stoudemire. 

The most crucial aspect is that NBA offenses are moving ever so slightly away from that brand of play. While the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and other elite teams still utilize the three-point ball, it isn't necessarily a primary focus. A large conglomerate of elite NBA squads are moving the pendulum back towards physicality, rim pressure, and an emphasis on getting to the free-throw line. 

The Suns must reconcile remaining modern with continuing to further commit to adding elite athletes and physical enforcers to the roster in lieu of the shift.