Nick Richards
Center, 7’0”, 245 pounds, 27 years old, 5 years of NBA experience
Nick Richards may not be the type of player to excite fans or carry a team to victory, but he’s a valuable talent to have as a backup center in the league. With questions surrounding the health of newly added starting center Mark Williams, Richards provides crucial depth for the Phoenix Suns over the course of an 82-game season. In the long grind toward the playoffs, he can maintain balance between his usual backup role and stepping
in as a starter—just as he did with the Charlotte Hornets during the 2023–24 season when Williams was sidelined by injury
2024-25 Recap
After the Suns struggled at the center position early in the 2024–25 season, with Jusuf Nurkić looking a step slow and out of rhythm on the boards, he was moved to the bench as the team searched for answers. With the trade deadline approaching, Phoenix turned to a familiar trade partner in the Charlotte Hornets, acquiring Nick Richards and a second-round pick in exchange for Josh Okogie and three second-rounders.
Richards made an immediate impact. In his Suns debut against the Detroit Pistons on January 18, he posted 21 points and 11 rebounds in a win. Just a week later, on January 25 against the Washington Wizards, he nearly recorded a 20 and 20 performance, finishing with 21 points and 19 rebounds. Suddenly, things were looking up for Phoenix, and Richards appeared to be the answer at starting center with a disappointed Nurkić watching from the bench.
Richards was steady for the remainder of the season, but the early excitement eventually wore off. After a hot start with the Suns, the final 32 games of the season brought him back to his usual production, averaging nine points and a little over eight rebounds per game.
Even with those modest numbers, Richards proved his value. He gave the Suns a reliable presence in the paint.
Contract details
Nick Richards signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets, with the full amount guaranteed and an average annual salary of $5 million. For the 2025–26 season, he will earn a base salary of five million, which also counts as his cap hit and dead cap value. Now with the Suns, Richards is entering the final year of that contract.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Things were shaky last year when it came to player competitions and year-by-year attention to detail. Suns players were left to fend for themselves through the lost season, making the game feel more like an individual sport than team basketball. But Richards played with hustle and stamina, showing complete control of what he brings to a team on or off the bench. Looking at the stat sheet, his below-average numbers in points and rebounds might deter many from a closer look, but his body language always showed he was ready to ball. This is his biggest strength—staying quiet, calm, and focused. While grabbing boards is more of an elite skill on his end, Suns fans can see that it’s a no-brainer that he brings his best night in and night out. He proved that consistency and effort often matter more than flashy numbers.
The weakness, on the other hand, is his lower IQ and slow reaction to plays on the weak side, which is why we can breathe this season knowing that when Mark Williams is starting, Richards can come in for the dirty work and tough rebounds.
At times, Richards is a lob threat, but he is also inconsistent.
But you can see that the hand-eye coordination is there at times, and with the lack of pressure to start, he might excel this year when it comes to drop passes and plays off the pick-and-roll.
One Key Factor
This is a contract year for Richards, and proving himself is key. Praising his work ethic and relentless presence around the rim could put him in line for future deals, but the question remains—does he have what it takes to prove he can be a paid starting center in the league? It’s a stretch and perhaps unlikely, yet a contract year has a way of bringing out a different beast on the glass and in pick-and-roll situations.
With Mark Williams’ health still uncertain, the opportunity and minutes will be there for Richards. Settling into the backup role on a Suns team that will scratch and claw for every victory, while striving to play as a true unit, gives Richards a chance to expand his game and showcase his value in every area of the floor.
Prediction Time
Richards will have more highlights and his stats will improve by a smidge, but that small improvement is exactly what Richards needs to gain a little more traction ot respcect in the league.
At the end of this 2025-26 season, the Suns will likely be in the hunt for a play-in seed and I think Richards will be a big part of it. Not the guy to make the winning play at the end of the game, but just enough durring the game to keep the Suns close and maning the boards like the Suns need him to.
Stat Prediction: 72 games played, 10.2 PPG and 10.6 RPG
Final Thoughts
Bringing Richards back for the final year of his contract is a no-brainer—not only for the reasons mentioned earlier, but because his fight and grit align perfectly with the identity of this Suns team. His toughness and steady, emotionless demeanor will match the group at its highest peak this season.
He is set to play a big role in the rotation, with a lot of pressure placed on his shoulders to deliver solid minutes consistently. The expectation is high, but Richards has shown he has the resilience to meet it.
