The Suns have spent the last few days fine-tuning the bottom of the roster, and the biggest move came with Oso Ighodaro getting locked in long term. Phoenix gave the homegrown big man a three-year, $29 million extension, a deal that keeps him on his rookie-scale contract for two more seasons before the new money kicks in for the 2028-29 season.
That timing matters. Ighodaro is making just $2 million on his rookie deal, so the Suns are buying flexibility now and betting on value later.
The extension’s average annual value comes in under $10 million, and for a player already described as a key piece, that gives Phoenix a useful financial cushion before 2028-29. The deal also stands out when stacked against other backup bigs such as Neemias Queta or Mitchell Robinson on the Celtics, Robert Williams III, Daniel Gafford, and Wendell Carter Jr.
The comparison point here is simple: Phoenix believes Ighodaro can grow into more than the contract will pay him when it finally begins. The extension even drew a comparison to Payton Pritchard’s earlier deal, when he was making around $7 million annually.
But Ighodaro wasn’t the only roster change. The Suns also waived Haywood Highsmith again, trimming the roster from 15 to 14 players. Under the new CBA, that kind of move gives teams more flexibility at the trade deadline, especially when it comes to taking back additional players depending on the apron of the team on the other side of the deal.
Highsmith had already been waived once this offseason before returning on a non-guaranteed contract. With Ryan Dunn showing something in preseason and Phoenix having drafted Rasheer Fleming and Koa Peat in back-to-back drafts, the path for Highsmith had narrowed fast. The Suns made the business call they felt fit best, even if Highsmith remains the type of veteran wing who could help another team off the bench.
Phoenix then shifted its two-way group, waiving Koby Brea and C.J. Huntley and bringing in Drew Timme and Duop Reath.
That move says plenty about where the Suns want to lean: veteran-ready production over developmental patience. Brea was a second-round pick and Huntley came in as an undrafted prospect, but neither saw much run with the main roster last year or much traction in Summer League and preseason this summer.
Brea’s case was the tougher one to read. Phoenix seemed to value his shooting, and the decision to move on from a second-year player was notable. Huntley’s departure was less surprising, especially since he had already been waived from a two-way spot before, for Bouyea.
Reath, meanwhile, arrives on an Exhibit 10 deal and gives the Suns some extra insurance in the frontcourt. With Mark Williams dealing with a shoulder injury, Phoenix is thin at center, with only Ighodaro and Maluach in the mix. Reath offers shooting and utility as a third big, and the Suns clearly see him as a player who could work his way into a contract spot by the end of the season.
Timme was the name that turned heads the most. He has spent time with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, and now gives Phoenix more size up front.
He also brings a shooting element the Suns can use at forward without Royce O’Neale. With the Lakers, he shot 44% from three, and Phoenix appears to value that stretch ability, especially with Williams injured and Peat still a rookie.
The Timme move also carried a familiar feel, since he was claimed from the Lakers just like Goodwin was last year. That’s part of the pattern here: Phoenix keeps trying to find useful pieces in the margins and has had some success doing it. No offense to Brea or Huntley, but Reath and Timme look more ready for NBA minutes, and the Suns have made that pretty clear with how they’ve approached the two-way spots.
After adding Pat Spencer earlier in the season, Phoenix has now made it obvious how it wants to use those roster openings - to create growth, build around the edges, and shape the identity of the team. It’s a method that has worked for them in the last two years, and they’re clearly hoping it keeps paying off for a third straight season.
In Other News...
Suns Are Rethinking Two-Way Spots For A Reason Fans Will Notice
The Suns have quietly changed the way they are filling out their two-way spots, and the new direction is easy to spot. Instead of treating those openings strictly as long-term development projects, Phoenix has waived younger prospects and brought in more seasoned names such as Jamaree Bouyea, Pat Spencer, Duop Reath and Drew Timme, a clear sign the team wants a different kind of insurance behind its main roster.
For fans, the shift says plenty about how the organization is viewing the margins of the roster right now. Two-way deals have always been about flexibility, but Phoenix is showing a willingness to prioritize players who can step in and help sooner if called upon, rather than waiting on upside alone. It is a subtle move, but one that suggests the Suns are adjusting their priorities with an eye toward immediate usefulness. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Home Opener Suddenly Has One Big Concern Around Devin Booker
The Suns first game at home already comes with a little extra uncertainty, and it starts on the wing where Luke Kennards availability is now in question because of left knee tendinopathy. Kennard sat out the season opener, and Phoenix would rather not head into a matchup with the Golden State Warriors without another perimeter shooter to stretch the floor around Devin Booker.
Mark Williams remains out while he recovers from shoulder surgery, and Oso Ighodaro is doubtful with a right oblique strain, so the injury list is beginning to nibble at the teams depth before the home crowd even gets its first look. For a Suns roster trying to settle into early-season rhythm, the key issue is how much offense it can keep on the floor if another spacer is forced to watch from the sideline. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Face More Frontcourt Pressure Ahead Of Warriors Clash
The Suns will have to adjust again in the frontcourt when they face the Warriors, with Oso Ighodaro officially ruled out after being listed as doubtful earlier in the day. The injury update leaves Phoenix thinner inside than it would like, especially with Mark Williams still sidelined while recovering from shoulder surgery and Luke Kennard listed as questionable.
Khaman Maluach is expected to start at center in Ighodaros place, giving the rookie another chance to handle a bigger workload in a meaningful spot. For a Suns team already trying to piece together its rotation, the timing adds another layer of pressure against a Warriors group that can make life difficult on the interior even before the game starts. [Read more 🡒]