The Phoenix Suns have officially announced the additions of Matt Tellem as assistant general manager and Brian Gregory as vice president of player programming.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“We’re excited to add Matt and Brian to our basketball operations team,” said James Jones, Suns president of basketball operations and general manager, in a release. “Matt’s insight and strategic thinking are highly regarded throughout the NBA and will elevate our team. Brian’s expansive coaching and development experience uniquely positions him to assist our coaches and players.”
OFFICIAL: Phoenix Suns add Matt Tellem and Brian Gregory to the basketball operations staff.
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— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) June 10, 2024
The Suns had previously been reported to be adding Tellem, who was hired away from the Brooklyn Nets.
From the release: “Tellem joins the Suns front office after spending the past 13 years with the Brooklyn Nets organization, most recently as vice president of strategy for the 2023-24 season and as senior director of salary cap and strategy in 2022-23. He previously spent three seasons from 2018-22 as the team’s director of strategic planning alongside his role as assistant general manager for the Long Island Nets of the NBA G League. Tellem began his tenure with Brooklyn as the team’s basketball information coordinator from 2011-18. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a member of the baseball team, Tellem later earned his Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law and is admitted to the New York State Bar Association.”
Gregory joins the Suns after 19 seasons as a head coach in Division I men’s basketball, most recently with South Florida.
From the release: “Gregory begins his role with the Suns following 19 seasons as a head coach in NCAA Division I men’s basketball, most recently serving as the head coach at the University of South Florida from 2017-23. Prior to South Florida, where he won the CBI Championship in 2019, Gregory served as head coach at Georgia Tech (2011-16) and as head coach at the University of Dayton (2003-11), where he won the NIT Championship in 2010. Before his head coaching positions, Gregory was an assistant coach under Tom Izzo at Michigan State University from 1999-03, helping the team to two Final Four berths and the 2000 NCAA Championship. His coaching career began in 1990 as an assistant coach for six seasons at Michigan State followed by assistant coach roles at the University of Toledo (1996-97) and Northwestern University (1997-99) before returning to the Spartans. Gregory is a graduate of Oakland University where he played basketball and was a three-year All-Conference honoree.”
Last month, Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto reported that Phoenix would not be bringing back assistant general managers Morgan Cato and Trevor Bukstein.
Phoenix Suns assistant general managers Morgan Cato and Trevor Bukstein won’t return to the team’s front office, league sources told @hoopshype. pic.twitter.com/PZ8JfJfFoF
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 21, 2024
Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro had reported that the Suns were looking to shake things up in the front office after the hiring of Mike Budenholzer as the franchise’s 22nd head coach on May 11.
Because of this, the Suns are operating over the second-tax apron next season, which is projected to be $190 million, severely limiting the team in terms of moves and trades it can make.
In this threshold, Phoenix is unable to sign free agents outside of the Suns to anything other than veteran minimum contracts. In terms of trades, the Suns will not be able to take in more salary than they send out, include cash in deals, aggregate contracts or use a preexisting trade exception.
The Suns will also be picking 22nd overall this summer. On the day of the first round of the draft (June 26), the Suns are able to trade both the No. 22 pick as well as their 2031 first-round pick, but not before then. These are the only first-round picks until 2031 that the Suns have the immediate ability to trade.
The additions of Tellem and Gregory will look to help them manage the cap situation and other hurdles they face in putting together next season’s roster.
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
