Since the moment he bought the Phoenix Suns, Matt Ishbia has become one of the most intriguing, vocal, and interesting owners in the NBA. His philosophy of “go big or go home” came crashing last season, when the Phoenix Suns failed to make even the play-in, despite having three stars like Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal.
This time around, Ishbia believes things will be different. Speaking at Suns media day, Ishbia discussed a range of topics, including Booker’s future, expectations from the team, and more.
Matt Ishbia Sets a New Bar for Suns Season
Last season, the Suns finished as the league’s most unique team. They were the only team that didn’t make the playoffs, play-in, or the lottery. They drafted in the lottery later, thanks to the KD trade. This time around, Ishbia is lowering the expectations for the season. Here are three takeaways from Matt Ishbia speaking at the Suns media day.
Book is Here for Life
This summer, Booker signed a record, two-year, $145 million contract extension that will keep him in Phoenix through the 2029-30 season. The contract was historic, because it gave Dillon the highest annual salary in NBA history. With that extension, the Suns believe to keep him through the end of his career, making him a one-team guy. Speaking about it, Ishbia said:
“Devin Booker is the franchise player, he’s one of the greatest Suns of all time. He has been here his whole career. Obviously, he signed an extension to try to keep him for his whole career. He wants to be here just like we want him here, and that’s what a great marriage looks like. Everyone wants to be in it together; we are completely aligned in what we believe and how we want to build this. And he is the guy. To compete for a championship, you have to have a top 10, top 15 player in the NBA.”
To Ishbia’s point, pivoting around Booker was the smartest thing that the Suns did. They currently do not have many assets to surround him with more talent. Booker will turn 29 this season, and they have a couple of more seasons to try and build a contender around him.
Dillon Brooks is Ishbia’s Guy
One of the pieces the Suns got from the KD trade was Dillon Brooks. Ishbia said they specifically wanted him. When the KD trade went down, some experts were surprised that the Suns didn’t get much. Yet, their owner is happy with what they got, saying:
“We made the Kevin Durant trade. Dillon was a target. Dillon is exactly what we’re talking about. He’s the kind of guy we want here. Defensive-minded, tough, sticks up for his teammates. I love everything about Dillon Brooks. That’s like my type of game.”
For his part, Brooks has helped the Rockets turn into a winning team. He is someone who you hate when he is not on your team, but you love him when he is on your team. As a culture setter, Brooks can help the Suns on the defensive side of the ball, something they lacked last season.
New Expectations for the Season
Ishbia is often vocal about his expectations for the team. Suns fans remember all too well that he promised the team would win championships, with an “S” at the end. This time around, he was more tempered with his expectations for the group:
“I hope that we win more games than we won last year, but the truth is, it’s not going to be measured in wins and losses this year. But it’s going to be measured in success.”
What will a successful season be? Only Ishbia knows. Whether that will be making the playoffs and winning at least one round, or something more. Let’s wait and see. Ishbia will tell us for sure.
© Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The post Matt Ishbia Sets a New Bar for Suns Season appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.