Oso Ighodaro is likely to be the starting center for the Phoenix Suns on opening night of the 2026-27 season, while he is also now eligible for an extension on his rookie contract. Which is why speaking publicly about the situation for the first time while in the strongest bargaining position he has ever been in since being drafted by the franchise was a smart move by the 24-year-old.
Ighodaro hints at contract movement "in the next couple of days"
Ighodaro was speaking to the media ahead of the Suns wrapping up preseason play against the Utah Jazz, and as Kellan Olson of Arizona Sports reported, the player revealed talks had taken place and that "we'll see what happens in the next couple of days." Ighodaro might have a year remaining on his current rookie deal, but it is in the best interest of both parties to get an extension in the books.
Oso Ighodaro is eligible for a contract extension this year (even though he still has an extra season left on his original rookie deal).
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) October 16, 2026
Ighodaro confirmed it has been talked about and said "we'll see what happens in the next couple of days."
For Ighodaro, it is simple. Strike while the iron is hot, while he is in pole position to become the starting center for the franchise. With Mark Williams likely out for the season, the timing could not have been better for extension talks to get underway. Khaman Maluach has shown some promise in preseason, but is still too raw a prospect to have starting over somebody with the experience that Ighodaro now has.
Maluach is the likely long-term solution for the Suns, but one year removed from being given the same opportunity and looking out of his depth, Ighodaro has grown as a player and matured into an excellent second-round pick for the franchise.
From the perspective of the Suns, Ighodaro is trending upwards. Getting him locked down on what they hope will be a team-friendly deal will help their tricky cap situation down the road, while also ensuring his value holds should they ever want to trade him. If an offer comes their way, the fact he will be under contract for years to come will hold appeal to other teams.
Ighodaro deserving of early extension as importance grows
Hard as it may be to believe, Ighodaro is now one of the longest-tenured Suns after Devin Booker and Jordan Goodwin. He was in town for the end of the Kevin Durant/Bradley Beal era, and he helped the team to a surprise 45 wins last season. Offensively he still has work to do in order to be a consistent contributor, but his growth is clear for all to see.
The Suns turning a second-round pick who has at times struggled to find his place in The Valley into somebody deserving of an early extension on their rookie contract is superb business from the front office. Putting pen to paper as early as possible during the regular season is the next step to ensure this does not become an unnecessary distraction.
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