The Phoenix Suns knew they needed to get another center this offseason, and on draft night, they got two, one with the No. 10 pick, and the other in a trade with the Hornets. Houston technically selected Khaman Maluach at No. 10, but that's the pick Phoenix received in the Kevin Durant trade. Shortly before Maluach's name was called, the Suns traded the No. 29 pick and a 2029 first-round pick to the Hornets for Mark Williams. Nick Richards' future in the desert is now up in the air.
Phoenix acquired Richards and a second-round pick in January, sending Josh Okogie and three second-round picks to Charlotte. Richards spent the first four-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career with the Hornets, where he was primarily a backup center. He averaged 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds in the second half of last season for the Suns in 36 games (34 starts).
Richards is entering the final season of his current contract. His $5 million salary will become fully guaranteed on June 29, unless the Suns waive him beforehand. A few days ago, HoopsHype reported that Richards' salary would likely become guaranteed by Phoenix, but that was before Wednesday's chaos.
Suns have a decision to make about Nick Richards after draft night frenzy
Richards is a solid backup, so maybe Phoenix still intends to keep him, at least for the first half of the season. He won't play as much as he did his first few months with the Suns, though. If he wants to have a larger role (and he should), he could be traded before next February's deadline. Several contending teams would vie for his services.
Phoenix retooled its roster over the past few days with the Durant trade, and carried that trend over to the draft. The Suns want to remain competitive, even without KD, a task that may prove impossible in a stacked conference. The front office took a step in the right direction on Wednesday by addressing one of the team's biggest needs, although the Williams trade cost them a future first-round pick. His injury history is a red flag, which could lead the Suns to keep Richards.
That answer will come within the next few days. For now, Phoenix fans are excited about having Maluach in the desert, and Williams, too.