The Suns have moved on from Haywood Highsmith, waiving the veteran wing, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
If Highsmith clears waivers, he’ll hit unrestricted free agency on Friday. Phoenix’s decision comes after a season in which the 29-year-old missed a large chunk of the 2025/26 campaign following surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee last August, then a setback in his rehab in October.
Highsmith eventually landed with the Suns on a two-year, minimum-salary deal in February. He played seven regular season games and two playoff games for Phoenix.
Before that, he had carved out a useful role in Miami as a three-and-D rotation piece. Over his final two seasons with the Heat from 2023-25, Highsmith averaged 6.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 22.7 minutes per game. He shot .461 from the field, .388 from three, and .684 at the line while appearing in 140 regular season games and making 68 starts.
Highsmith’s $3,018,158 expiring contract for 2026/27 wasn’t fully guaranteed, but it did carry a $1MM partial guarantee. That means Phoenix will owe that amount unless he’s claimed off waivers.
The move also gives the Suns a little more breathing room. They’re now approximately $6.9MM below their second-apron hard cap and down to 14 players on standard contracts. On top of that, the transaction trims their projected luxury tax bill by more than $11MM, dropping it from about $61.2MM to $50.1MM, though that figure would climb again if the team adds a new 15th man.
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