Why Suns Rookie Needs Minutes This Season

The Suns rookie brings intriguing upside to the table.

Forward Oso Ighodaro talks to the media during the Suns Summer League at Verizon 5G Performance Center on Jul 9, 2024, in Phoenix. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns are just a month away from opening up training camp ahead of the opening of the 2024-25 season, and the roster is largely complete - save for a future trade or free agent acquisition.

Perhaps the most interesting result to come out of this offseason is the question of what the bench rotation will look like across the board.

This applies to the center position as well. Mason Plumlee is assumed to be the backup to Jusuf Nurkic, but don't count out Oso Ighodaro just yet.

"Phoenix officials are high on rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro and the releases open increased opportunities for both to contribute next season – along with roster movement potential moving forward. Little now will enter free agency," wrote NBA insider Shams Charania following the news of the release of Nassir Little and E.J. Liddell.

Phoenix officials are high on rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro and the releases open increased opportunities for both to contribute next season – along with roster movement potential moving forward. Little now will enter free agency. https://t.co/QFOspRvFf1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 21, 2024

Ighodaro has been presumed to be a focus of the G League Valley Suns this season, but his track record in college - namely as a junior - could render him ready to contribute almost immediately.

His viability as a floor spacer is rightfully questioned, but six 20-point showings last season at Marquette are just blips of brilliance as a scorer. His high-end athleticism was on display with 13 games that featured multiple blocks last season. His ability as a quality passer inside an offense has been well-documented.

Ighodaro brings multiple things to the floor that Plumlee can, but he quite inarguably has a higher ceiling and is simply a more spry athlete at this stage.

This isn't to say Ighodaro should be the full-time backup big, but he deserves a shot to prove his worth in the infancy stages of this season.