A recent claim by Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia has drawn sharp criticism, with The Athletic’s Sam Amick calling the assertion “laughable” during an appearance on Sactown Sports 1140.

Ishbia reportedly sent an internal email to Suns employees stating that he plans to take on a more meaningful role within the organization moving forward. The message, first reported Wednesday by Gerald Bourguet of Phoenix Sports, outlined Ishbia’s reflection on his leadership style and a pivot toward more direct involvement.

“According to another source, Ishbia emailed the Suns basketball operations team internally on Wednesday, taking accountability for not doing enough to establish a culture and identity in Phoenix,” Bourguet reported.

The Suns owner acknowledged that his previous approach — “running the typical NBA owner playbook” by “hiring experts, signing checks and getting out of the way” — had failed to deliver results. In the message, Ishbia clarified he would not be watching film or making draft decisions but promised to be “extremely active in the decisions and management” moving forward.

Amick criticized both the content and the timing of Ishbia’s statement, suggesting it did not reflect reality.

“The fact that Mat [Ishbia] is trying to pretend he wasn’t already very involved is laughable,” Amick said during the radio appearance. “I’m also puzzled by the timing of this getting out, because — to be honest — I don’t think he sent that on Wednesday. Like, I’ve known about that letter for two weeks.”

Amick added, “It’s just weird that he decided to put pen to paper with these ideas and then had a kind of clunky rollout, where the media was, to some extent, already aware this was his messaging.”

The development comes as the Suns continue restructuring their organization. Phoenix recently finalized the hiring of Jordan Ott as their next head coach for the 2025-26 season. Ott joins a franchise that has faced high expectations and internal scrutiny since Ishbia officially took control in early 2023.

Meanwhile, attention remains on the future of Suns star Kevin Durant. The 36-year-old forward was the subject of trade talks at the February deadline, and those discussions have reportedly resumed as the team evaluates its options ahead of the summer.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the New York Knicks — fresh off an Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Indiana Pacers — made an offer for Durant at the trade deadline, but no deal materialized.

The Phoenix Suns are entering a pivotal offseason, with questions surrounding their roster, leadership structure, and long-term strategy. Ishbia’s increased involvement signals a shift in direction as the franchise seeks to regain its footing after a disappointing end to the 2024-25 campaign.