There are things in life you don’t realize how much you appreciate until they’re gone. The ability to get out of bed in the morning without groaning and cracking. The Bacon Club Chalupa from Taco Bell. That carefree feeling when summer vacation finally arrives, when you’re a kid with absolutely no responsibilities and an entire night to spend playing Super Mario Bros., determined to find out what happens when you collect a million coins. And that funny little push shot of Oso Ighodaro.
That’s right,
I miss Oso. And the team certainly does as well.
It’s funny to think that a second-round pick could be missed this much, but on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, it’s clear that the Phoenix Suns are feeling his absence. And for everyone who’s constantly suggesting the Suns should trade Oso Ighodaro because he’s a poor free-throw shooter and his three-point shot is nonexistent, the small sample size we’ve seen this season (combined with what we witnessed last year), reinforces the fact that he brings plenty to the table beyond his ability to shoot free throws.
I understand the argument that you have to pull him out of games late because he can’t hit his free throws. But you know what? You’re in those games because of what he’s provided up until that point. So yeah, maybe you take him out in those situations. But right now, the Suns are struggling to even put themselves in a position where that decision matters.
It’s a lesson and a reminder that, for many years in the NBA, the game wasn’t built around spreading the floor offensively. Games were won in the trenches, where the ability to pass and rebound mattered. And those are two things Oso can do.
Because when you look at the statistics with him on and off the court this season, it’s pretty gross. Granted, he’s played only 15 minutes. He suffered an injury during the first half of the season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, and as Phoenix was getting run out of the arena, he wasn’t exactly putting together a spectacular performance himself. Nobody was. But for that brief moment, the team felt more organized.
In the 129 minutes Phoenix has played without Oso Ighodaro this season, the Suns are a -36. Their assist percentage is down 6.7%, while their steal percentage has dropped 8.3%.
To this point, we are not sure when Ighodaro, who is currently out with an oblique injury, will return.
Defensively, Oso provides Phoenix with a switchable option, allowing his teammates to operate with a clearer understanding of their responsibilities. When an opposing team forces a switch, you know you can rely on Oso to pick up your guy. There’s a level of trust and familiarity that comes with having him on the floor. Right now, we’re seeing discombobulation all over the place. As teams pull Khaman Maluach into defensive actions, players seem uncertain about who they’re supposed to guard. Unnecessary double teams begin to develop, shooters are left wide open, and we all know how that ends.
A big part of that responsibility falls on the coaching staff. They need to identify what’s happening, prepare the team for those situations, and ensure the players understand how to respond. From there, it’s on the players to communicate effectively and execute on the court. But with Oso out there, a lot of that becomes more stable. He’s also highly effective as a rim protector and post defender, providing a level of defensive versatility that this team is sorely missing right now.
Offensively, the Suns have sputtered as well, largely because their actions have been clunky and disjointed. Oso is like oil in an engine, helping everything run smoothly. He sets a high screen, executes a dribble handoff, and gets the ball to his teammates fluidly. All of those little things add up, creating the foundation for successful offensive possessions.
Currently, you have five guys trying to find their shots, and the overall offensive scheme could use a little of that Oso oil. Ighodaro would be the fifth option offensively, but as we’ve come to understand, his value extends well beyond scoring. He makes the players around him better, and that’s exactly what this team is missing.
And that’s what makes his absence so revealing. Oso isn’t going to lead the Suns in scoring or suddenly become a threat from beyond the arc. But he understands how to connect the pieces, and right now, Phoenix looks like a collection of parts struggling to function together. His limitations are real, but so is his impact. Sometimes you don’t appreciate the little things until they disappear. And right now, I’d give anything to see that goofy little push shot again.
