Such has been the rate of turnover with the Phoenix Suns in the last couple of seasons, Oso Ighodaro already feels like a bit of a veteran in The Valley.
Entering his third season with the franchise and his spot is far from secure, but Ighodaro has definitely found his groove as an energetic forward/center off the bench for head coach Jordan Ott.
Free agency big man moves only making Ighodaro look more valuable
Recent moves around the league are only increasing the 23-year-old's value more, and that is without Ighodaro having to do anything. Former Sun Jock Landale was given a one-year, $14 million deal to return to the Atlanta Hawks. We're delighted he got another deal, but is he that much better than Ighodaro?
Both can be bullied off their spots and aren't the biggest at their position, but you can never question the heart.
Then there was the Denver Nuggets waiving Jonas Valanciunas, presumably so the Lithuanian bruiser can return to Europe to finish out his career. Assuming that happens, and it may not given it was supposed to last year as well, that is one less quality center and proven veteran on the market.
Most surprisingly of all was the Utah Jazz deciding that they wanted two more years of Mo Bamba for their franchise. You would think a team clearly ready to make some moves and climb the Western Conference (likely at the expense of the Suns) could do with literally any other player, yet Bamba is their guy.
He won't have a big role to play and he might not even last the season, but that only proves the point further.
There is a real lack of depth at the center position in the league right now, while the top end bigs are among the best players in the league. Nikola Jokic being the obvious standard bearer, although Karl-Anthony Towns is deservedly having a moment.
You need to have multiple bodies and different looks to give opponents each night, while in the case of Ighodaro he is still on a rookie deal and there is every chance he will also get better. That is why his value is rising at a time when he is not playing, if Bamba or Landale are your alternative options and you are trying to win games, that is not appealing.
An unexpected nice spot for Ighodaro to be, and it could also soon apply to Khaman Maluach.
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