Former Nets F DeMarre Carroll joins Jordan Ott as assistant with Suns
The Brooklyn Nets have had plenty of players come through the franchise as the team has sought to create a winner in Brooklyn. It's no coincidence that there are some players that have found their way with other teams, either as players or as coaches, and one of Brooklyn's former players is getting another coaching job with one of the Nets' former coaches.
Former Nets forward DeMarre Carroll is joining the Phoenix Suns to be a part of Jordan Ott's coaching staff ahead of the 2025-26 season, according to HoopsHype's DeMarre Carroll. Carroll played in Brooklyn from 2017 to 2019 while Ott was an assistant coach for the Nets from 2016 to 2022 as part of three different coaching staffs during his time in Brooklyn.
After the Suns fired Mike Budenholzer at the end of the 2024-25 season following a disappointing 36-46 campaign, Phoenix hired Ott to be the next head coach after making through a pool of candidates that once contained Nets assistant coach Steve Hetzel. Carroll has been coaching in the NBA since the 2022-23 season, but the last time he played in the NBA was in 2020 for the Houston Rockets.
Carroll had some of the best years of his career during his time with the Nets as he averaged 12.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 40.6% from the field and 35.8% from three-point land. The only time that Carroll had similar numbers to what he did with the Nets was during his two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks from 2013 to 2015.
Since he got into the league as an assistant coach, Carroll has been part of coaching staffs for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. It's interesting to note that Carroll and Ott were part of Kenny Atkinson's coaching staff for the Cavaliers during the 2024-25 season when the franchise had one of the best seasons in its history.
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