The Phoenix Suns reshuffled the back of their roster one final time ahead of the new season on Monday, as they waived Koby Brea and quickly claimed Drew Timme off waivers. The former Los Angeles Lakers big man is joining on a two-way contract, proving that the Suns have learned a valuable lesson from previous mistakes with their big man rotation.
Timme provides even more insurance should centers falter
With Mark Williams likely to miss most of the season after shoulder surgery, the franchise has recently extended former second-round pick Oso Ighodaro and 20-year-old Khaman Maluach as their center options to begin the campaign. Duop Reath was also added prior to training camp beginning on a two-way contract of his own, with Timme slotting in behind him.
To get the 26-year-old on this kind of deal, having managed to do the same with veteran Pat Spencer this offseason, highlights the strength in depth the franchise has quickly established. Timme is a player who, two seasons ago in nine games with the Brooklyn Nets, featuring a pair of starts, averaged 12.1 points. Taking over 11 shots to get there is ugly, but he will never be asked to lead the offensive charge the same way in Phoenix.
This is a clever move by the Suns because of the contrast in play styles between the bigs who are now on their roster. Gone are the days of having to rely on Jusuf Nurkic as their starter, or on Drew Eubanks or Mason Plumlee as their backup. The Suns now have an athletic starter in Ighodaro and a potential monster in Maluach.
Reath provides a nice contrast in that he can space the court and has a more diverse offensive game than the two bigs above him on the depth chart. Timme arrives able to contribute in a similar way and is a completely different kind of center from Maluach in particular.
Scrappy veterans ideal players for Jordan Ott's system
Owner Mat Ishbia has already predicted the Suns will win a playoff series in 2026-27, and Head Coach Jordan Ott's use of veterans playing for bigger contracts and future stability in the league is one of the team's secret weapons in getting there. Already, he has had massive success adding Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Jamaree Bouyea to the back of the rotation, and watching them work their way into bigger roles and, in the case of Gillespie and Goodwin, new contracts.
Timme, Reath, and Spencer all fit that bill, and all will look to Gillespie as inspiration for their own careers. There is less time to develop younger players (except Maluach, who the Suns have placed a lot of belief in) to see if they can help down the road. It is about winning with Devin Booker now, and the late Timme addition is right in line with that vision. A smart move by the front office.
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