The Phoenix Suns have officially elevated Brian Gregory to the position of General Manager, according to their announcement on Thursday. Gregory takes over as the lead executive, succeeding James Jones, who will now serve as a senior advisor.

Gregory joined the organization last season as Vice President of Player Programming and Evaluation. Previously, he was an NCAA head coach for 19 seasons, leading teams at Dayton (2003-2011), Georgia Tech (2011-2016), and South Florida (2017-2023).

Prior to this promotion, Gregory was viewed favorably by owner Mat Ishbia for his significant contributions to draft strategies. Ishbia mentioned that Gregory has been a key player in both drafting and developing young talent.

“Brian has been a valuable member of our front office, playing an integral role in drafting and developing our young players,” said Ishbia. “I am excited for him to step into the role of general manager. He is a brilliant basketball mind, and he will transform and elevate our team.”

Meanwhile, James Jones has been associated with the Suns since 2017, shortly after concluding his 14-year playing career. Initially named interim GM when Ryan McDonough was let go in October 2018, he had the interim tag removed after the 2018-19 season.

Ishbia praised Jones, stating, “James’ contributions have been instrumental to our organization, and we appreciate everything he has done for the Suns on and off the court.”

This season, the Suns expected to be strong contenders but finished 36-46, missing the play-in tournament and resulting in the dismissal of coach Mike Budenholzer. Given this change, it is expected that Gregory will lead the search for a new coach.

In addition to Gregory’s promotion, the Suns have also announced the promotion of Oronde Taliaferro to assistant general manager, who was formerly the team’s director of scouting during the 2024-25 season.