Phoenix Suns media day may have been full of praise for Khaman Maluach, but Jordan Ott made it clear Oso Ighodaro is still very much in the mix for the starting center job.
Ott didn’t name a starter for opening night, and he didn’t need to. What he did say was enough to keep the competition wide open, with the Suns planning to use different rotations across their five preseason games so multiple players can get a look. That gives Ighodaro a real chance to make his case before the games start counting.
The buzz around Maluach was impossible to miss, but Ighodaro has his own case to make. At 24, he finished last season strongly and showed he can handle backup minutes at center while also sliding to his more natural power forward spot when needed. He also handled his first playoff experience well and showed noticeable growth on offense.
What makes Ighodaro stand out is how complete he already looks. His athletic frame lets him defend bigger and quicker forwards, and while his ceiling may not match Maluach’s, he’s already proven he can help as both a starter and a reserve.
That matters for a Suns team that can’t afford to rush the wrong decision. Ighodaro has earned a real opportunity, and the organization would be wise not to stunt his development in favor of a raw prospect, even one who spent the summer working out with Devin Booker.
There’s also the reality of the roster around him. Ighodaro has become one of the longest-tenured players on the team faster than expected, and his value only rises because of Mark Williams’ injury woes. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, his role is going to matter.
Ott may also use the two bigs together in some lineups, a look that could cause problems for opponents and give Jalen Green more room to operate. With more high-level defenders around him, Green has a better shot at getting back to the elite score-first guard he prefers to be.
So while media day may have tilted toward Maluach, Ighodaro is not fading into the background. He’ll have plenty of chances in preseason and beyond to claim the job for himself.
In Other News...
Rasheer Fleming Is Giving The Suns A Reason To Believe
Rasheer Fleming is starting to look like one of those prospects who earns his keep the old-fashioned way, by showing up, putting in the work and letting his body and tools do the talking. For the Suns, that matters. Head coach Jordan Ott and teammates have taken notice of the second-year forwards physical gifts and the steady growth that has followed, and there is a growing sense that Phoenix may have something worth developing for the 2026-27 season.
Flemings path only adds to the appeal. He was not a heavily recruited high school player, which makes his rise feel less like a sure thing and more like a player who has had to build his way into the conversation. His ceiling is still hard to pin down, but the Suns have reason to believe he can grow into a useful rotational piece if the development keeps trending in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Are Asking Khaman Maluach For More Than They Wanted
With limited future assets and a mandate to stay competitive around Devin Booker, the Suns are treating Khaman Maluach less like a slow-burn project and more like a player they may need sooner than planned. The second-year center logged only limited minutes as a rookie, but his Summer League showing offered enough promise to keep him in the middle of the conversation as Phoenix maps out its frontcourt plans.
Booker has already been supportive of Maluachs development, and the Suns appear willing to bet on the young big man in a larger role if he can handle it. The question now is whether Maluach can absorb everything that comes with starting on a team trying to win right away, because Phoenix does not have much margin for error if he is not ready. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Should Avoid One Backcourt Mistake Around Devin Booker
Training camp has already nudged the Suns point guard picture into focus, and the front office has at least added another name to the mix with Kennedy Chandler on a training camp deal. Around Devin Booker, Phoenix is trying to sort through a backcourt that still needs to make sense on the fly, with the roster carrying more questions about fit than certainty as the season approaches.
Rob Dillingham has been floated as a possible answer in some circles, but the more practical path for Phoenix appears to be staying with the guards already in the building and avoiding a move that does not clearly raise the level of the group. Jordan Goodwin fits that conversation better, while Collin Gillespie remains part of the backup mix, and the Suns can only benefit if the next decision is about clarity rather than chasing another name that complicates the rotation. [Read more 🡒]