PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns are ready.
Don't take that from fans who have watched the team's preseason slate — or media like us attending games and sitting in press conferences — or even players competing on the court.
Head coach Jordan Ott himself believes it.
"We're ready. We're ready for the regular season," he told reporters after the team's preseason finale.
"We felt it there. We just talked about it in the locker room. Preseason is done. We'll watch film on it tomorrow and put it all to an end. We're gonna be ready, we'll be ready to go. These guys can feel it, we all can feel it, the crowd can feel it, we're ready for the regular season."
Phoenix, under the second year of Ott's guidance, is hoping to take a step forward from their 45 wins last season. The Suns escaped the play-in tournament before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Ott says the main goal of preseason was escaping healthy, which was accomplished. Miles Bridges returned from injury while Oso Ighodaro (hip) and Luke Kennard (knee) didn't participate in the Suns' preseason finale on Friday.
Next is the team's regular season opener on Wednesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.
"I think we've seen it in spurts, in long spurts. We'll look at this film, this was a big one because they were going to play their rotation players. I think overall when our rotation guys have played, we've played to our identity. We've taken our steps, added new pieces, but knowing it's jumped up Wednesday night so we're in a good place," Ott continued.
"Health is always the first and foremost when you get through a preseason. I think we're in a pretty good place there and what we've been able to do on the floor with this group seems to be heading in that direction, but we won't know until Wednesday night."
Suns guard Jalen Green echoed Ott's belief that the team is ready to take on the 2026-27 regular season:
“As a group I would say that I feel like we’re already established, like how we’re going to play and stuff like that," he said.
"I would say let’s just keep it simple. Not dig into it too much. Obviously, there’s areas that can improve and that's always going to be the case. You’re going to improve always. But overall, yes."
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