2 Suns who will surprisingly steal more minutes at center next season

Valley of the Suns · Jul 22, 2026 13:00 · 3 min read

2 Suns who will surprisingly steal more minutes at center next season — Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (right) argues with Dillon Brooks against the Golden State Warriors during the second half in the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro are going to successfully wrestle minutes away from Mark Williams at center for the Suns next season.

Barring an unexpected trade late in the offseason (which this franchise does have a history of pulling off), the Phoenix Suns are done chopping and changing their roster.

They are also in a good spot having made the playoffs last season and with so many of the same faces returning for another campaign in The Valley. At a time of constant upheaval in the NBA, continuity has become something of an underrated superpower.

Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro will receive more center minutes

Looking at who is going to see an increase on their minutes from last season at the five, and two names are going to quickly stake their claim. Mark Williams might have received the first extension of his career to the tune of three years, $38 million, but that won't stop Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro from taking some of his playing time.

With sophomore Maluach this is an obvious development.

He was the 10th overall pick last season and won over a ton of new admirers at Summer League. Still only 19-years-old, it is a guarantee that he sees more than the 8.9 minutes of action that he managed in his rookie campaign.

That number may end up closer to 15 minutes, although another brief stint in the G League to beat up on opponents like we just saw out in Las Vegas could also wind up happening. He is the big of the future for the franchise, and Nick Williams was moved at the deadline last season to begin to open up space to see what he can be.

Ighodaro is the bigger surprise here, and in fact it was the other roster moves the organization made that will see him slide up to the five more frequently. Ighodaro began last season in the same spot, actually starting their on opening night, and it went badly.

Since then he has found his groove in this roster and now has Miles Bridges as a teammate. You can bet head coach Jordan Ott will deploy him at center alongside Bridges and Dillon Brooks in a front court lineup that will be cramped, but which could also give Jalen Green a chance to shine.

Williams has never come close to being healthy for an entire season either, and the 60 appearances for the Suns last season (55 starts) represented a career high. He was also unavailable for their brief postseason appearance.

So when he is forced to sit once more, Ighodaro is going to be the main beneficiary. The organization won't turn Maluach loose in that instance, and that is the right decision.

The battle for minutes at the center position has officially become the most interesting internal battle in The Valley.