The action around the NBA is about to pick up in the coming weeks as the 2025 draft and free agency period loom over the horizon. This time of the offseason is also when there's a lot of movement involving coaching staffs around the league, with the latest example being the Phoenix Suns' hiring Jordan Ott as their head coach last week.
The Houston Rockets will face off against Ott three or four times next season, depending on what the 2025-26 schedule looks like, which means they'll also collide with a familiar face just as many times following the Suns' latest hire.
Former Rockets Forward DeMarre Carroll Joins Suns Coaching Staff
On Wednesday, NBA insider Michael Scotto reported the Suns have hired former Rockets forward DeMarre Carroll to Ott's coaching staff. The 38-year-old will work as an assistant, and his hiring stems from his previous history with Phoenix's new bench boss.
"Ott coached Carroll with the Brooklyn Nets and both worked together as assistant coaches for the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers," Scotto wrote.
JUST IN: Phoenix Suns coach Jordan Ott has added DeMarre Carroll as an assistant coach on his bench, league sources told @hoopshype. Ott coached Carroll with the Brooklyn Nets and both worked together as assistant coaches for the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. pic.twitter.com/MWgEJc20qB
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 12, 2025
Since retiring from the NBA following the 2019-20 season, Carroll has spent time with the Lakers, Cavaliers, and Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach. It'll be interesting to see if the former Houston forward, Ott, and the rest of Phoenix's coaching staff have what it takes to turn the franchise's outlook around following an embarrassing 2024-25 performance.
Rockets fans will remember Carroll from first arriving in Houston via the Memphis Grizzlies ahead of the 2011 NBA trade deadline. He didn't score a single basket during the five appearances he made that season, culminating in a release less than two months after the trade. His career eventually took off after leaving the Rockets, solidifying himself as one of the more reliable 3-and-D presences in the league.
What's old became new again five years ago when Carroll signed with the Rockets during the 2019-20 campaign. He averaged 6.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting 43.2% from the field and 25.0% from deep in nine outings before calling it a career.
Even though his time in Houston was largely unremarkable, it's always great to see an ex-Rocket doing well for themselves. If his coaching career continues on its current trajectory, it might not be long until Carroll is leading his own NBA coaching staff.