The Suns are moving on from Haywood Highsmith, cutting the veteran wing as Phoenix continues sorting out its regular-season roster.
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 first reported the decision, and he also said the team is still expected to keep Jamaree Bouyea as its 14th man while leaving the 15th spot open when the season opens. That remains the plan, according to Gambadoro, who noted that the Suns are holding onto Bouyea on his non-guaranteed contract. Phoenix’s other 13 players on standard deals all have fully guaranteed salaries for 2026/27.
Highsmith came back to the Suns in August on a non-guaranteed minimum contract after finishing the 2025/26 season with the club. The six-year NBA veteran, valued for his length and versatility, played in just seven games last season after undergoing surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Before that, Highsmith had a fuller run in Miami in 2024/25, when he appeared in 74 games and made 42 starts. He averaged 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 24.6 minutes per game, and shot .458/.382/.721 from the field, three-point range, and the line.
The move appears tied to Phoenix’s finances as much as anything else. The Suns are already deep into luxury-tax territory and face repeater penalties, so keeping Highsmith on the books would have pushed their projected payroll - salary plus tax bill - up by about $16MM.
There’s still work to do before the roster is set. Based on Gambadoro’s previous reporting, camp invitees Kennedy Chandler and Phillip Wheeler are likely to be waived, while Duop Reath is expected to have his Exhibit 10 deal converted into a two-way contract. Because Phoenix would need to open a two-way slot to make that happen, forward CJ Huntley could be the one squeezed out.
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