Following the re-signing of Mark Williams, the center position felt like one of the few areas where the Phoenix Suns possessed legitimate depth, and with it, a developmental buffer.
You had Williams, an experienced starting center who also carried a lengthy injury history. With him in the starting lineup, third-year center Oso Ighodaro could comfortably slot in behind him on the depth chart. And with Williams likely missing time, whether due to injury or scheduled rest (especially on the second night
of back-to-backs), second-year big man Khaman Maluach would also have opportunities to get some reps. There was no need to rush Maluach’s development. The Suns could bring him along on their own timeline, allowing him to grow at a pace they felt was appropriate.
But the news that Williams would miss a significant amount of time following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder changed that equation. Suddenly, Maluach’s developmental timeline accelerated, and the overall depth of the Phoenix Suns at center took a substantial hit.
Now, one game into the regular season, that depth is already being tested. Per Suns insider Duane Rankin, Oso Ighodaro will be out Saturday night against the Golden State Warriors with an oblique injury.
Ighodaro exited Wednesday’s season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers before the conclusion of the first half and did not return. With confirmation that he’ll miss Saturday’s game, the question becomes how much additional time he might be sidelined.
Oblique injuries can be particularly difficult to navigate, as is the case with many injuries that affect movement on the basketball court. Look at Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, who suffered an oblique injury early in the 2024–25 season. His initial recovery timeline was six weeks, but he ultimately returned 11 weeks later.
There are three varying grades of oblique injuries:
We don’t yet know the severity of Ighodaro’s injury, but the circumstances certainly provide cause for concern. If he misses any significant amount of time, the team is in quite a pickle. Right now, the Suns’ center room consists of Khaman Maluach and newly acquired two-way players Duop Reath and Drew Timme. That’s it.
However, following the decision to waive Haywood Highsmith before the start of the regular season, Phoenix has one open roster spot. They could go shopping on the market for assistance, given that they have $4.4 million of flexibility under the second apron (which they are hard-capped at).
Who is out there? Let’s look.
Dwight Powell
I’ll start with 35-year-old Dwight Powell, who brings 13 years of NBA experience, nearly all of it with the Dallas Mavericks. Across 768 career games, primarily in a backup role, Powell has averaged 6.5 points and 4.2 rebounds. He’s not going to stretch the floor, as he’s a career 29.4% three-point shooter, but he did post a career-high 15.1% rebounding percentage last season with Dallas. And the Suns? They could use some of that rebounding. This doesn’t project to be a dominating rebounding team, and quite frankly, you’ll need all of the assistance you can get.
The Mavericks waived Powell this offseason after giving him an Exhibit 10 opportunity to stay with the team as they pivot toward prioritizing youth at center, making him an option who could provide Phoenix with much-needed depth and rebounding off the bench.
His rim protection would be welcomed, as his overall defensive talent is rated in the 83rd percentile by B-Ball Index, with an A- grade.
From Mavs Moneyball’s Ben Zajdel on Dwight Powell last season:
Having a player like Powell around can help. A player who’s seen everything, has a personality that’s uplifting, and is generally a good hang can keep a bad season from turning into a disaster. Things in Dallas could have turned toxic quickly this year, and for the most part, the team was drama-free. Powell was a part of that, and it’s something NBA teams value.
Kelly Olynyk
If you want to talk about players with a high motor who would fit the culture Phoenix is trying to establish, you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who fits that profile better than Kelly Olynyk. Olyknk has made a career out of being a hustle player, the shot of energy off of the bench that might not put up statistical dominance, but affects those around him with his motor.
His 13-year career has spanned eight franchises, most recently with the San Antonio Spurs, where he appeared in 42 games as a backup last season. Throughout his career, Olynyk has averaged 9.8 points and 5 rebounds, and he can knock down the occasional three-pointer as well, shooting 36.9% from deep on 3 attempts per game.
While his athleticism has begun to decline with age, at 7 feet tall and 240 pounds, Olynyk brings size, experience, and an established work ethic that could serve the Suns well given their current circumstances.
He’s not as analytically effective as Dwight Powell, but he is someone who can assist in crashing the boards (you see a theme here for me? Johnny wants rebounds), especially on the offensive end. If he’s your second-team center, extra opportunities would be appreciated.
Bismack Biyombo
What am I doing here? Just looking at all of the backup bigs the Spurs let go this offseason? Well, yeah. They had a trio of veterans behind Wemby and opted to move on. And since the Suns are in a bind, we could use them.
I’m normally not big on retreads, but when you look at the list of available centers, you’re bound to come across a few former members of the Phoenix Suns. Mason Plumlee is available (another former Spur), as is Drew Eubanks. But if I were picking somebody from that pile, it would be Bismack Biyombo.
We know him from his two seasons in Phoenix, where he appeared in 97 games, starting 17, and averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds.
We also know he can’t space the floor in any capacity, and his push shot leaves plenty to be desired. But if you need somebody who can come off the bench and provide a physical presence on the glass, even at 6-foot-8, Biyombo is capable of doing exactly that.
After all, he averaged 10.8 rebounds per 36 minutes and possesses a career rebounding percentage of 16.7%. I wouldn’t mind having him back around, knowing that his impact is primarily one-dimensional.
Jonas Valanciunas
The last guy on my list might be the most intriguing, and that’s 15-year veteran big man Jonas Valancuinas. The Big V who has bounced all over the NBA but never into the Valley of the Sun.
If you’re looking for a big body, this is your guy. At 6’11” and 265 pounds, Valanciunas brings a physical presence and a skill set that could help the Suns in several areas. He can knock down a midrange jumper, finish around the basket, and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty fighting for rebounds.
After all, across 14 NBA seasons, he’s averaged 12.8 points and 9.0 rebounds. His rebounding percentage? 20.7%!
The Suns are a team that certainly lacks size, and Valanciunas provides exactly that. He ranks in the 7th percentile for defensive rebounding talent but in the 94th percentile for offensive rebounding talent.
He’s strictly an interior player at this stage of his career. He can’t defend the perimeter effectively, nor can he stretch the floor offensively. But if rebounding is a priority, which I firmly believe it should be for this team, Valančiūnas is somebody the Suns should absolutely pursue.
Big V is currently playing in the EuroLeague for Zalgiris in the Lithuanian Basketball League, playing in his home country on a two-year, $5.5 million contract.
The Rest
Here’s a list of everybody else who is available on the free agent market:
- Tony Bradley
- Drew Eubanks
- Christian Koloko
- Kevin Love
- Josh Oduro
- Lachlan Olbrich
- Mason Plumlee
- Olivier Sarr
- Oscar Tshiebwe
My guess is that the Suns will ultimately lean on Duop Reath and Drew Timme as they await further clarity on the severity of Oso Ighodaro’s injury. But the flexibility is there if they decide to explore other options. What do you think? Should the Suns stand pat? Or, after just one game into the new season, should they go out and add some much needed flexbility.
