Mat Ishbia and Brian Gregory address the team’s shift from the second apron, internal frontcourt solutions for Mark Williams, and a collaborative vision surrounding superstar Devin Booker.
The 2026-27 season is directly in the line of sight for the Phoenix Suns, with Media Day bringing just how close the campaign is into perspective.
This invites the opportunity for Suns fans to hear directly from governor Mat Ishbia and GM Brian Gregory for the first time in several months.
There will be several objectives for the high-ranking members of management to tackle - follow likely storylines for the duo below.
Ishbia Continuing to Balance Financial Support With Practicality
The steward of the Suns' organization made several ill-fated decisions within the first several months of taking control of operations.
While there's no doubt that the Michigan native will always pour an incredible amount of resources into the Suns, there are lessons that were seemingly learned from the "big three" era.
The Suns are no longer under the "second apron" banner following offseason moves. They are within the "first apron" however, signifying that Ishbia is still committed to building a winner on-the-fly.
Expect Ishbia to speak positively on the current state of the roster, while also showing optimism for the future.
Gregory Likely to Speak on Center Situation Following Major Injury
Phoenix is in a very uncertain position following Mark Williams suffering a labrum injury.
The Suns did agree to terms on a deal with free agent Duop Reath to serve as insurance, while under-25 talents in Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach are ready to make jumps as players.
However, questions such as overall depth in the back-line and how the rebounding effort rebounds from the loss of Williams exist.
Expect Gregory to address this, with a strong likelihood that he voices confidence in Ighodaro/Maluach, as well as head coach Jordan Ott's ability to manage the situation, while also not closing the door on future moves.
Expect Duo to Reassert "Alignment" Approach
"Alignment" has been a major word utilized under the current management arrangement.
The environment in Phoenix is heavily built on collaboration, building constructive conclusions (even through disagreement), and finding ways to surround franchise player Devin Booker.
Expect Ishbia and Gregory to both hammer down this aspect of organizational operations yet again. While the early reactions to this approach skewed negative, it seems as if Suns fans are finally buying into this vision.
Only time will tell if Ishbia's recalibration pays off, but the returns from the first 15 months are definitely promising for the future of the organization.
