Phoenix just bet on one of its own. Per Shams Charania, Oso Ighodaro agreed to a three-year, $29 million extension that runs through the 2030-31 season.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks added the key piece of the structure: “To help the Suns financially for next season, Ighodaro’s $2.4M team option for 2027-28 is picked
up. Good deal for both sides.” Translation: Phoenix keeps Oso on his bargain rookie number for one more year, and the new money doesn’t kick in until 2028-29.
That works out to roughly $9.7 million a year for a guy who came into this league as a second-round flyer.
Just on Friday, Ighodaro told reporters: “Yeah, we’re talking about it. We’ll see what happens in the next couple days.”
The timing is the win here. Picking up the $2.4 million option keeps next season’s books clean while the front office works through bigger financial decisions. Oso gets long-term security, Phoenix gets one more year of a rotation big at near-minimum money, then a fair number after that, especially if he continues to progress.
The Suns acquired Ighodaro’s draft rights at No. 40 from the Knicks in exchange for the draft rights to Kevin McCullar Jr., the 56th overall pick, and Boston’s 2028 protected second-round pick. He’s also a hometown kid, a Chandler native who led Desert Vista to a state championship.
He earned it with availability
Ighodaro appeared in all 82 games last season, starting 24, and his role expanded when a foot injury sidelined Mark Williams. In a frontcourt that got banged up, he was the one big the Suns never had to worry about showing up.
This front office keeps telling us what it wants: length, motor, and guys who can switch. Ighodaro checks all three at a backup-big price. Keeping him means the Suns don’t have to overpay in free agency for that profile.
Ighodaro has been in a battle with Khaman Maluach for the Suns’ starting center job with Mark Williams sidelined for the foreseeable future. He will play a major part in their rotation this season.
