Phoenix Suns · 9 notes
Suns coach Jordan Ott hopes Luke Kennard and Oso Ighodaro are back for opening night but didn't commit. Everyone else came out of the preseason healthy: "I think we're in a pretty good place there." Miles Bridges returned, and Ott called his defensive intent "high level."
"Doesn't mean who starts will end the game." Phoenix coach Jordan Ott has not settled on Mark Williams or Oso Ighodaro at center, to start or to close. Williams has more late-game experience when teams foul Ighodaro, who brings plenty else. Opener is Oct. 21 in Portland.
The Suns' starting center job is still open. At shootaround, Oso Ighodaro said he doesn't know whether he or Khaman Maluach will start: "I don't know. We'll find out game 1." Both want it and prepare every day to start, he said.
From Suns practice Oct. 12: more of the offense is running through the center. "Everyone's playing through their 5 a little bit more," and the plan is to keep building on it. Oso Ighodaro and Collin Gillespie were named in that answer.
Khaman Maluach got more center minutes than Oso Ighodaro on Oct. 10, but Suns coach Jordan Ott said "the next night you never know." Ott called it the rookie's best performance yet. Phoenix ran its offense through him at times with Victor Wembanyama staying in the paint.
Oso Ighodaro started at center for the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 5. Coach Jordan Ott's reason: "Oso was really good last year. Top 10 defensive center." He said lineups will change: "trying to figure out who plays with who, that's what this is all about right now."
Luke Kennard may get a new defensive role. The Phoenix Suns are "going to ask to probably do something he hasn't done," coach Jordan Ott said. Kennard clicked instantly with Oso Ighodaro in a scrimmage, and Ott said "that's something we'll take advantage of."
Khaman Maluach says the Phoenix Suns' starting center job is open between him and Oso Ighodaro: "it's not guaranteed for any of us... to start." Coach Jordan Ott said Maluach will begin by defending "up and aggressive" against screens, dropping back at times.
From Suns practice: Oso Ighodaro said Miles Bridges' size lets them switch "and we don't lose anything on either matchup," and named Ryan Dunn, Rasheer Fleming and Dillon Brooks as wings who can guard centers. His advice to rookie Koa Peat on Brooks: "Just to go at him."