The Suns appear ready to open the season with Oso Ighodaro in the starting role at center, and it’s the kind of call that makes sense for where Phoenix is right now. On Wednesday, in the team’s fourth tune-up game against the San Antonio Spurs, Head Coach Jordan Ott rested what looks to be the starting group for the night.
The score hardly matters. What does matter is that Ighodaro seems to have edged out Khaman Maluach for the opening-night job.
For both bigs, that setup feels like the cleanest path. It keeps the spotlight from landing too hard on Maluach, and it gives Ighodaro credit for the steady work that has put him back in the mix.
Maluach has already had a busy offseason. The 20-year-old showed well at Summer League and, in preseason, looked more advanced than he did as a rookie. His size jumps out immediately, and his 3-point shot could end up being a real help for Devin Booker down the line.
Even so, there’s no need to pile more hype onto him. He still looks raw for a former 10th overall pick who came to Phoenix in the Kevin Durant trade. Media day brought another wave of praise his way, including from new teammate Pat Spencer, who had never even played a competitive game with him.
That’s why starting him on the bench first makes sense. It gives Maluach a chance to develop without carrying the full weight of expectation right away. It also acknowledges what Ighodaro has earned.
Ighodaro is in his third year and has turned himself into a rotation-level player for the Suns. He was in this same position 12 months ago, starting at the five on opening night, and it did not go well. Still, he kept pushing, stayed in the mix, and now stands as the best immediate option at a spot that isn’t even his natural position.
If Mark Williams were healthy, none of this would be much of a discussion. But with Williams missing, Phoenix is moving forward with a frontcourt that has to sort itself out on the fly. If Ighodaro slips and Maluach shows the rougher edges of his game - and there are plenty of those - the absence of Williams will show quickly.
There’s also the simple reality of how this would look. It would make a lot more sense for Maluach to begin behind Ighodaro and work his way into the role than for Phoenix to start him immediately and then have to pull him back for a second-round pick. That second version carries a very different feel, especially for a team with no future assets to soften the blow.
Maluach, though, isn’t supposed to be worried about the labeling right now. He wants to help Phoenix win, and Coach Ott opening with Ighodaro while the season plays out is the sensible way to handle it.
In Other News...
Suns Are Facing A Brutal Question About Their Contender Status
The Western Conference has already started to feel like a sorting exercise, and John Hollinger is adding the Suns to a difficult tier. In his latest projection, he sees Phoenix among several familiar names that could end up with losing records, a stark reminder that reputation alone does not guarantee contender status in a conference where the margins can disappear fast.
The concern around Phoenix is less about one bad stretch and more about the broader shape of the roster, with aging players and injury risk looming over a group that still expects to matter. Hollingers read on the West also includes the Warriors as a possible transition team and the Mavericks facing uncertainty around Kyrie Irvings future, which only sharpens the question for the Suns: if this version of the roster cannot stay healthy and cohesive, what exactly is the path back into the race? [Read more 🡒]
Suns Suddenly Have A Luke Kennard Question Before The Opener
Luke Kennards preseason with the Suns took an unwelcome turn in the fourth exhibition game against the Spurs, when the veteran guard went down with a left knee injury and had to leave after limping off the floor. He did not return, and the timing adds a little extra uncertainty with Phoenix closing in on the opener and still trying to settle its rotation.
Jordan Ott called it a sore left knee and said Kennard was in good spirits afterward, which is at least a small measure of relief for a team that values his shooting and spacing. Even so, any knee issue this close to the start of the season is worth watching, especially for a Suns group that is still sorting out how its backcourt pieces fit once the games begin to count. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Are Earning A Reputation Fans Will Have Strong Opinions On
Bill Simmons annual over/under podcast gave the Suns an unexpected kind of spotlight, slotting them near the top of his list of teams most likely to spark a mass brawl this season. It is the sort of label that follows a club around only when it has built a certain identity, and Phoenix seems to be leaning into a rugged, hard-nosed edge with players like Dillon Brooks and Jordan Goodwin setting the tone on the physical end of the floor.
For Suns fans, the more interesting part is that this reputation is arriving alongside real basketball upside. The offense is supposed to have more punch with Miles Bridges in the mix and Jalen Green back healthy, which gives Phoenix a chance to be more than just a team that gets under opponents skin. The question now is whether that added scoring can keep pace with the edge they are showing every night. [Read more 🡒]