If there is one player the Phoenix Suns' front office would trade right now for anything of value right now if they could, it is center Nick Richards. We already know that they tried to send him packing already this offseason, as his name was brought up several times when the franchise were unsuccessfully trying to pry Jonathan Kuminga away from the Golden State Warriors.
It might be unfair to put Richards at the top of this list - Grayson Allen was also mentioned in that deal that never happened - but that was before General Manager Brian Gregory came out at media day and gushed about the 3-point marksman. Royce O'Neale is another to watch, but much like Allen his 3-point shooting serves a purpose and makes hims a trade candidate at the deadline.
Uncertainty on Mark Williams should mean Richards sticks around.
The Suns are a few days into their training camp before heading to Macau as part of preseason, and the absence of 23-year-old big Mark Williams from the court was becoming a concern. Not to worry according to head coach Jordan Ott, who gave a wholly optimistic update on just where the former Charlotte Hornet is at right now.
The latest injury update on Mark Williams from #Suns training camp today was interesting, but if you dig a little deeper at the wording from Jordan Ott on his absence, it was concerning too... thoughts? (✍️ @LucaLockheart)https://t.co/oDK4F5RCa5
— Valley of the Suns (@ValleyoftheSuns) September 27, 2025
Something about the fact he is currently doing some stretching and strength work while his teammates all get together on the court for the first time - when he supposedly does not have an injury - just does not feel right though. Which is why Richards - himself a teammate of Williams in Charlotte to begin last season - should be kept in The Valley for now.
Much has been made about rookie Khaman Maluach, and he came across extremely well at media day. But there are going to be a ton of bumps in the road for him as he tries to make his mark in this league, and that is likely going to include a stint to the G League at some point. If you managed to catch him at Summer League, then you'll know that offensively he currently has no game at all.
Which is why it is unfair to expect him to step up and take on Williams' starting role immediately if he is injured, even though this is a rebuilding team. That could dent his confidence if he gets destroyed in an early matchup against the likes of an Ivica Zubac, and bringing him along slowly was exactly why they traded for Williams in the first place.
Then there is Oso Ighodaro - who despite being a part of the future here - isn't a center in the traditional sense. He works better as a four who can alternate between defending bigs of all kinds but who can't protect the paint at an elite level, while offensively he isn't quite the lob threat of Williams either.
All of which is to say, the Suns need to keep Nick Richards for the time being. He's best used as a backup center, but even that is better than a crocked Williams if he's not playing at all. He managed 43 games last season - the most in his three seasons as a professional - and is extension eligible which complicates matters further. Not a fun situation, but an ideal one for Richards.