Of all the trades the Phoenix Suns made while in the second apron and trying to contend for a championship, moving on from Deandre Ayton in favor of Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen was perhaps the worst. The only trade that rivals it is taking on Bradley Beal, his monster contract and a no-trade clause, but there was at least a belief he could be the third star in Phoenix.
With Ayton the Suns just wanted to get rid of him at any cost, even if it meant taking on the lumbering Nurkic in the process. His first season in The Valley under Frank Vogel wasn't that bad, but the situation went downhill quick last season. Then rookie Toumani Camara was a throw-in for the Portland Trail Blazers in that trade, and that has come back to haunt the Suns in a big way.
Phoenix fearful Oso Ighodaro could be next Camara if they move him.
He's become the best and most useful player in that now infamous deal, and in his second season made the All-Defense second team. This is made even worse by the fact the Suns are now rebuilding, and so would have had the time to develop Camara. This was not the case when Kevin Durant was in town, although they may just have cut ties with him too soon as well.
Can you imagine how good Camara would have been alongside Devin Booker, Jalen Green and even Ryan Dunn? We'll never know - it is the Trail Blazers who will get to watch the Belgian flourish - but the scars from that trade could be influencing the front office's decision to potentially trade Oso Ighodaro.
If you were the #Suns, would you trade Dillon Brooks, Oso Ighodaro and whatever picks they have left to finally land Jonathan Kuminga? (✍️ @LucaLockheart)https://t.co/0GMGpjnDC7
— Valley of the Suns (@ValleyoftheSuns) September 18, 2025
We recently ran a poll asking you if you'd be willing to give up second year forward/center Ighodaro if it meant landing Jonathan Kuminga from the Golden State Warriors, and two-thirds of you said no. We have also gone on record this offseason with the belief that Ighodaro would be a perfect youngster for the Boston Celtics to target.
It is clear both the fanbase and front office think highly of him, and in may ways he's an x-factor this coming season. He was a standout player for the organization during Summer League play, and represents a nice insurance policy if rookie Khaman Maluach needs to go down to the G League to develop some.
Ighodaro has been mentioned by other outlets as a player who could get the Warriors talking on a potential Kuminga trade, unlike veterans such as Grayson Allen, Nick Richards and Royce O'Neale whose value around the league has already been established. We don't know if he's ever been mentioned by the team themselves, but he surely can't be what holds up a potential trade.
The upside of Kuminga at only 22-years-old is too enticing for a second rounder in Ighodaro to stop it from happening. If you're the Suns though, the all too raw feeling of flipping Camara after his own solid Summer League showing - as a rookie no less - most definitely lingers. Ighodaro is a promising prospect, but the Suns can't let their recent past deem him untouchable in any trade talks.