Toumani Camara is still the one that got away for the Phoenix Suns, but the bigger story now is what they’ve done with the lesson. After shipping out the All-Defense forward in the Deandre Ayton-for-Jusuf Nurkic deal, Phoenix has clearly started treating its draft picks like assets worth developing instead of afterthoughts.
That shift matters because the Suns are still trying to win right now with Devin Booker. Their trade for Miles Bridges and their position well above the first apron show that plainly, even if the roster is running into some self-imposed roadblocks along the way. Still, since Camara left, the front office has begun to change how it values young talent - and there are signs the approach is paying off.
Khaman Maluach wasn’t technically drafted by Phoenix, but the Suns pushed to include him in the Kevin Durant deal with the Houston Rockets. The 10th overall pick is still a raw prospect, but his sophomore Summer League showing gave fans a reason to be intrigued about whether he could eventually take Mark Williams’ starting job.
There was also a little revenge built into that transaction. The Suns managed to do to Houston what the Portland Trail Blazers did to them in the Ayton-Nurkic swap. That’s the kind of deal that feels a lot better when it goes your way.
Phoenix has kept adding to the pipeline, too. The team selected Rasheer Fleming last season and then moved into the first round to take Koa Peat this year. It’s far too soon to know whether either one becomes a real long-term piece in The Valley, but Fleming getting playoff run and knocking down a few 3-pointers against the Oklahoma City Thunder was valuable experience.
If you want the clearest sign that the Suns finally understand the value of keeping and developing picks, look at Oso Ighodaro. He may never reach Camara’s level as a defender or have the same kind of career, but he has grown into a rotation player in Phoenix.
That’s a solid return for a second-round pick who needed time to find his role and who also carries real value for the Suns as they try to navigate a tricky cap situation.
It hasn’t been perfect. Ryan Dunn is likely to be moved at some point in the near future. But when you add in two-way success stories like Collin Gillespie, the Suns have clearly gotten much better at this part of team-building.
Still, the Camara miss lingers. If Phoenix had kept him, the starting five would look even stronger.
In Other News...
Suns Just Made A Quiet Move With Real Roster Consequences
Haywood Highsmiths return to the Suns is one of those low-profile moves that can still ripple through a roster. Phoenix brought him back on a one-year minimum-salary deal for the 2026/27 season, and the contract is built with the kind of fine print that teams use when every dollar matters. In a season where the Suns are clearly trying to stay disciplined on the books, Highsmith gives them a familiar wing option while adding another layer to their roster management.
The larger significance is in how Phoenix structured the deal, with the Suns working to manage their luxury tax situation by lowering Highsmiths cap charge. It is the sort of maneuver that often gets buried under bigger headlines, but it can shape what the front office is able to do elsewhere. Highsmith also had other interest, which only adds a little more weight to a signing that looks simple on the surface and far more strategic underneath. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Get An Early Chance To Build Real Playoff Momentum
A seven-game homestand in early November gives the Suns a chance to settle in quickly once the 2026-27 season gets rolling. The newly released schedule stacks up an appealing run of home games against the Trail Blazers, Magic, Rockets, Spurs, Clippers, Hornets and Lakers, offering Phoenix an early stretch in front of its own crowd before the calendar gets any more demanding.
For a team hoping to build real playoff momentum, that kind of early runway matters. A strong start at home can help establish rhythm, ease some of the pressure that comes with a long season and give the Suns a better sense of where they stand before the schedule starts to test them in other ways. [Read more 🡒]