If there’s anything you can take away from the 2025-26 Phoenix Suns season to this point, it’s that injuries have played an outsized role.
Despite shattering preseason expectations to put themselves in the playoff hunt, the Suns have received just 54 total minutes played from Jalen Green (across four games), saw Grayson Allen limited by quad and knee injuries and have again seen face of the franchise Devin Booker sidelined — this time by a fluky ankle sprain.
It’s been frustrating to say the least for Suns fans simply wondering what this roster looks like together when healthy, because the “when healthy” part is isolated to a handful of quarters as we approach the trade deadline and All-Star break.
But those injuries have had the silver lining of creating unique opportunities for guys toward the end of the bench — perhaps none more impactful in limited minutes than two-way guard Jamaree Bouyea.
A 26-year-old basketball journeyman, Bouyea has played more games this season for the Suns (21) than he had played across three seasons and five NBA teams combined previously (19).
Bouyea spent most of his time before this stint with the Suns competing in the G League for the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Austin Spurs, but injuries have forced the 6-foot-2 guard into action in The Valley — an opportunity Bouyea has not squandered.
Jamaree Bouyea continues to impress as Suns two-way standout
January’s been a quiet month for Bouyea to this point, as the backup guard hadn’t played in a game dating back to Jan. 4 when he got nine minutes of run in a win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
But injuries to both Green and Booker in the Jan. 23 contest against the Atlanta Hawks again made it necessary for head coach Jordan Ott to call on Bouyea to fill in.
Professional that he is, Bouyea stayed ready and again made an impact in the most recent win against the Brooklyn Nets.
Bouyea went 5-of-11 shooting for 10 points, adding three rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block to the box score. He ended the first quarter with this high-flying chase down swat:
Layup wouldn't have counted, but still one hell of an effort by Jamaree Bouyea to end the quarter pic.twitter.com/oYSxVJTH0T
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) January 28, 2026
And he added a pair of pretty layup finishes during the game to his highlight reel:
Put Jamaree Bouyea in the All-Star Game ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/iYnUERuFyH
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) January 28, 2026
Bouyea has scored in double figures in eight of his appearances this season, including a career high 18 points on two separate occasions. He plays under control, attacks the basket with grace and gives the Suns another ball-handler, which has been sorely needed when both Book and Green have been sidelined.
Under a two-way contract, Bouyea will be a restricted free agent at season’s end. That means the Suns have the ability to match any offer extended to the guard who continues to make a case that he deserves a fully-guaranteed deal — whether that’s in The Valley or elsewhere.
The Suns will no doubt be preoccupied trying to figure out what to do about other impending free agents Mark Williams (who the Suns traded multiple first-round picks to acquire from the Charlotte Hornets) and Collin Gillespie.
On that basis, it's probably a long shot that Bouyea returns beyond this summer. Other NBA teams in need of guard depth should not hesitate to offer him a roster spot. His feel-good story deserves to continue at the NBA level.