“Change” was the buzzword, now the Suns need to prove it means something.
“Disappointing is the right word,” Suns owner Mat Ishbia began when talking about the 2024-25 Phoenix Suns’ season in his press conference on Tuesday morning. “I’m embarrassed,” he added.
Respectfully, he should be. The Phoenix Suns invested more money into this roster than any team in NBA history, only to finish 36–46. What followed wasn’t just a failure of results, but of identity. A team built to contend never found its rhythm, stumbling through a joyless, disconnected campaign that ranks among the most disappointing in franchise history.
As expected in a press conference setting, the Suns’ owner took accountability for the team’s disappointing season. But more notably, he signaled a shift in philosophy, one centered on establishing a true identity. After a year defined by inconsistency and confusion, Phoenix is now aiming for clarity, cohesion, and a direction that finally feels like a foundation.
“We will make changes. The biggest change that I want to talk about is, you know, on me. I’m accountable to this one,” Ishbia stated. “I have to do a better job of setting the identity of the Phoenix Suns.”
That, too, was one of the Suns’ fundamental issues this season. Across the NBA, the most successful teams share a common trait. They know exactly who they are. They play with purpose, with clarity, and in alignment with a clearly defined identity. The Suns, by contrast, were a team in search of themselves. If there was any identity to speak of, it was this: spend way too much, get way too little.
“I will do a better job as the owner of setting the tone,” he continued. “That’s a change that’s coming and it will be undeniable. You will know the difference next year.”
“Changes are coming.”
Mat Ishbia. #Suns pic.twitter.com/4WBqMIuDhw
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 17, 2025
There was one buzzword Mat Ishbia returned to again and again during his press conference: change. And he’s right. Change is necessary. The fanbase knows it, has debated it endlessly, and now waits to see what form it will take. The first domino has already fallen, with the firing of Mike Budenholzer less than 24 hours after the season ended.
But the real question looms: will change reach the front office? Will a new identity emerge, shaped by fresh decision-makers with a different vision for how to construct a roster?
When pressed on that point, Ishbia sidestepped the specifics. But the message was still clear. Change isn’t just coming, it’s the expectation.
I asked Mat Ishbia whether the incoming changes he talked about extend to James Jones and Josh Bartelstein. He wouldn’t get into specifics about their roles, saying he’s more focused on setting the Suns’ identity as owner, but added again that “change is coming.”
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) April 17, 2025
There’s only so much you can take from these types of press conferences. Words are words. The weight lies in what follows. Until real change happens, and the end result is actual winning, there’s little reason to get overly excited.
Yes, Mat Ishbia highlighted the ways he’s elevated the fan experience, and credit where it’s due: his impact on the city and the community has been meaningful. That’s why takes like Stephen A. Smith’s — calling him “possibly the worst owner in sports history” — are nothing more than clickbait theatrics. Ishbia brushed it off, saying, “I don’t take much he says seriously… I don’t think many people do, to be honest with you.” And honestly, no one should.
He’s done a quality job creating an immersive, engaged experience for fans. But the most powerful way to elevate that experience is by building a team that wins. A team the fan base can rally around, be proud of, and believe in during the chase for a championship.
Is a full reset on the horizon? Time will tell.
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