Two Reserves Are Already Playing Starter Minutes

Maluach in the mix. Hoopsrumors slotted Khaman Maluach into a Thursday Pacific notes roundup, a day after Phoenix exercised its 2027-28 option on him along with Ryan Dunn. Both moves lock in cheap, controllable years for two building blocks still early in their NBA runs.

Ighodaro's minutes spike. Over his last three games last season, Oso Ighodaro's playing time jumped 12 minutes a night whenever a teammate sat, with his scoring climbing well past his season average. It's a small sample, but it's the clearest sign yet of what Phoenix sees in him as frontcourt insurance.

Green plays more too. Jalen Green saw the same bump last season: 13 more minutes a night across his final three games whenever a teammate was out, and more scoring to match. The sample is short, but it points to how big his role could grow once games start mattering.

The late fade. Phoenix was outscoring opponents across the full 2025-26 season, then went minus-8.4 per game over its final 10, a swing of more than a possession a night. That slide, more than any single injury, is the stat the front office is still trying to answer.

Payroll math. Phoenix's payroll sits at $216.2 million this season, above the league's first apron and a tax threshold of $200.4 million. Devin Booker's $57.1 million leads the books, with Jalen Green at $36.3 million and Miles Bridges at $22.8 million behind him.

Preseason begins. Phoenix opens its exhibition slate October 5 at the Pistons, then plays at Chicago on the 7th and hosts San Antonio on ESPN2 on the 10th before a return trip to the Spurs on the 14th. The regular-season opener is set for October 21 at Portland.

Health check. Mark Williams remains out with a left shoulder issue and isn't expected back until February 2027. Duop Reath (right foot) and CJ Huntley (hamstring) each carry a day-to-day tag, both targeting an October 5 return.