Phoenix Suns Lingering Free Agent Target: Ish Wainright
Although Ish Wainright played for the Suns in their Summer League games this year, the team has yet to give him a standard contract for the 2022-23 season. With his clear fit as a possible returning player from last year and abilities to stretch the floor as a small-ball center, Phoenix should bring him back.
Last year, it was Wainright’s improved 3-point shot that turned him from a bench filler to a fringe rotation player whose contract even became fully guaranteed to get him on the playoff roster.
Wainright began the season last year shooting just 29.0 percent from deep on 1.1 attempts per game. Following the All-Star break though, he shot 35.7 percent on 1.8 attempts per game. That, coupled with his intensity on defense allowed him to play a P.J. Tucker type role for Phoenix when needed.
This is what hard work paying off looks like. Ish Wainright nailing two 3s off movement. pic.twitter.com/UikjKNnvcc
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) April 7, 2022
This summer, that shot only seems to be getting better though, as he went 9-21 from deep in his four Summer League games to shoot a red hot 42.8 percent.
When adding a new player, you never know how they might gel with the team, the coaches, even the city. But with Wainright, Phoenix already knows the answer to all those questions. That’s half the battle when it comes to signing a free agent and his growth over the past few months only further endorses him as a piece to add for this coming season as well.