Entering the 2025-26 NBA season, there aren’t many lofty expectations attached to the Phoenix Suns. So it wasn’t exactly out of line when The Ringer’s Michael Pina predicted that the team would lay claim to the league’s worst defense during the upcoming campaign.
Granted, Pina’s prediction came in a column titled “24 Increasingly Bold Predictions for the 2025-26 NBA Season.” Yet despite the qualifier, it was apparently a bridge too far for Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who took to social media to call out Bill Simmons over The Ringer writer’s analysis.
“@BillSimmons, you and your crew have some good takes and some that are terrible,” Ishbia wrote on X while sharing a post that included a screenshot of the prediction. “You’re the betting guru and even you know better than to actually take this bet. Tell you what, go put your money on this take. When you lose, I will donate the same amount to charity of your choice. Different culture and different team in PHX this year. Let’s go!”
.@BillSimmons, you and your crew have some good takes and some that are terrible. You’re the betting guru and even you know better than to actually take this bet. Tell you what, go put your money on this take. When you lose, I will donate the same amount to charity of your… https://t.co/dCLMUdtbMz
— Mat Ishbia (@Mishbia15) October 22, 2025
Never mind that Simmons wasn’t actually the author of the prediction — although the Sports Guy hasn’t exactly been an optimist when it comes to Phoenix’s outlook for this season either. In Ishbia’s eyes, apparently The Ringer founder isn’t just responsible for every opinion that’s shared on the website he sold to Spotify five years ago, but he should also be willing to wager on them as a vote of confidence.
Presumably, Ishbia is just trying to publicly support his team and choosing a high profile target in Simmons to do so. But regardless of whether the ex-ESPN columnist takes him up on his offer, he better hope he’s right about Pina’s prediction. Otherwise, it’s easy to imagine his post providing constant fodder for Simmons — and others — throughout the upcoming season.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.