A week after being waived, veteran forward Haywood Highsmith is returning to the Phoenix Suns on a new one-year deal. With the signing that brings Highsmith back after he’d been released, Phoenix is up to 15 players on the 15-man roster. While Highsmith is an NBA veteran with years of experience under his belt, his return could muddy the waters in head coach Jordan Ott’s rotations.
Minutes for Suns' youngsters could be in short supply
As the Suns’ offseason played out, a number of front office decisions seemed to deny the developmental runway to the team’s young talents.
Starting center and restricted free agent Mark Williams was brought back on a team-friendly three-year contract, effectively blocking playing time for former No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach. The Duke product now figures to spend the bulk of his time in the G League yet again.
Phoenix felt strongly enough about University of Arizona standout Koa Peat to trade up into the first round of this year’s draft to select him, but the Suns followed that choice by trading for Charlotte Hornets power forward Miles Bridges. The veteran, acquired for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and an unprotected 2033 first-rounder, stands to receive the majority of minutes in the frontcourt now ahead of both Peat and talented youngster Rasheer Fleming.
And while Highsmith’s “Locksmith” nickname fits the defensive acumen he brings to the court, a soon-to-be 30-year-old journeyman getting minutes ahead of those aforementioned young players wouldn't make a ton of sense.
Suns' youth movement is on pause for the time being
To be clear, the Suns’ depth chart still needs to shake out however Ott sees fit. It stands to reason, though, that more seasoned veterans will get opportunities on a team with playoff aspirations. Unfortunately for the Suns’ long-term outlook, that could ultimately hinder guys like Maluach, Peat, and Fleming from getting the NBA minutes they’ll need to gain confidence.
The Suns are coming off a surprising 45-win campaign spearheaded by the change in culture orchestrated by trade acquisition Dillon Brooks and the first-year head coach in Ott. But with new pieces added to the fold, a lack of depth at the point guard spot, and teams around the Western Conference improving their own standing on paper, there’s certainly a non-zero chance Phoenix is due for regression.
Even the Suns’ most bullish proponents aren’t saying they’re poised to contend for a title this season. That begs the question: Why hasn’t there been more of a shift to embrace a youth movement in The Valley?
Maluach has been stellar in G League play, Peat was a proven winner in high school and college who averaged 16.8 points with a 59.5 percent true shooting percentage in summer league, and Fleming showed flashes of promise on offense and defense in limited minutes a season ago.
The Suns want to do right by face of the franchise Devin Booker by building a winner, but holding back young talents in the process does not seem to be in the organization's best interest.
For now, Highsmith can be considered another veteran depth piece. If he starts to get more run over guys like Fleming and Peat, fans will have to wonder what the long-term vision is for Suns basketball.
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