With the regular season only days away, the Phoenix Suns wrapped up their offseason business with a move that makes plenty of sense now and could age even better later: a three-year, $29 million extension for Oso Ighodaro on his rookie contract. Ighodaro had already hinted last week that something like this was coming, and now the deal is done.
For the Suns, it locks in a key piece at a manageable number. For Ighodaro, it brings financial security.
The immediate payoff is clear. Phoenix has its starting center for the start of this season on a team-friendly deal, and Ighodaro is getting there at the right time. He’s 24 years old, entering his third season, and the best version of his game has shown up just when the Suns needed it most.
There’s also a bigger roster wrinkle here. This extension gives Phoenix options when the center spot shifts again.
Starting big Mark Williams is likely gone for most of the season, and because he’s the same age as Ighodaro, the long-term picture is still cloudy. Williams already signed a three-year, $38 million extension earlier this offseason, but that deal would be movable if the Suns ever need to pivot, especially with so few true centers around the league right now.
The best-case setup is pretty straightforward: Williams gets back and gives Phoenix around 60 games a season, Ighodaro backs him up, and both players can slide into the starting group when needed. There’s another layer too, since Ighodaro’s main position is power forward. That gives the Suns another look at the four, and a different option from Miles Bridges once the roster is fully healthy.
Then there’s Khaman Maluach, the player many believe is the franchise’s long-term answer at center. For now, Ighodaro can hold that spot while the 20-year-old develops at his own pace. Maluach drew the loudest praise at media day, but asking a raw prospect to immediately help a team whose owner, Mat Ishbia, believes will win a playoff series this coming season would be a heavy lift for the Duke product.
There’s another side to this extension, too: what it could mean as a trade piece later on. If the Suns get close to real contention with Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks and still need frontcourt help, Ighodaro’s deal could become valuable outside Phoenix. He could be bundled with a larger salary, Jalen Green, to help land an impactful veteran, and his rising value could make him part of a package for players the Suns couldn’t otherwise access.
That may not be the plan today, but it matters that the flexibility exists. For now, Phoenix has a starting center on a smart deal, a useful fallback if the center room changes, and a contract that could help them down the road if priorities shift. No matter how you slice it, this was a strong finish to the offseason.
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Brea, a 2025 second-round pick, got into 12 games last season, but his shooting never found the kind of rhythm that could help him survive a crowded competition for minutes and contracts. His struggles during Summer League and preseason made the decision easier for Phoenix, which has now opened a two-way contract slot and left another young player looking for the next chance. [Read more 🡒]