Oso Ighodaro's camp in extension talks with the Suns ahead of Monday's deadline
WhyNBA Sports Desk · Oct 18, 2026
The story
Center Oso Ighodaro said on Sunday, October 18, that his representatives are negotiating a contract extension with the Phoenix Suns, telling Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic that both sides expect clarity within a couple of days.
The story
The timing is not accidental. Monday, October 19, is the last day Phoenix can sign him to a new deal that folds in the final season of his current contract, and the conversation comes as the Suns lean on him more than ever in the middle.
The story
Asked whether he wants to stay in Phoenix, Ighodaro answered yes without hesitating. Rankin hears that a deal, if it happens, would most likely cover three additional seasons. No terms have been reported, and nothing has been agreed.
How the deadline works
Phoenix took Ighodaro with the 40th pick in the 2024 draft and signed him to a four-year minimum-salary contract worth about $7.9 million.
How the deadline works
He is earning roughly $2.3 million this season, after the team guaranteed that salary in June, and the Suns hold a team option of about $2.5 million for 2027-28.
How the deadline works
He remains eligible for an extension until June 30, 2027.
How the deadline works
The Monday cutoff applies only to an in-season agreement that includes that fourth-year option: to sign him before then, Phoenix would have to decline the option as part of the deal, so the new contract would take over from 2027-28.
How the deadline works
If the sides miss Monday, they can still talk later in the season, but the structure changes.
How the deadline works
For the Suns, the appeal is cost certainty on a young big man before he plays his way into a bigger market price next summer. For Ighodaro, a three-year commitment would be his first real security after two seasons on minimum money.
A bigger role in 2026-27
The talks carry more weight because of who is not available. Mark Williams had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder and is expected to miss most of the season, leaving Ighodaro and rookie Khaman Maluach competing for the starting center job.
A bigger role in 2026-27
Ighodaro was the primary backup center last season and did not miss a game, appearing in all 82. He averaged 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks in 22.0 minutes, shooting 65.3% from the floor.
A bigger role in 2026-27
The weak spot was the free-throw line, where he made 45.3%, and Rankin reported earlier this offseason that Ighodaro spent the summer working on his foul shooting and on stretching his range to the three-point line.
What comes next
The extension window for this structure closes on Monday. The Suns then open the regular season at the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, October 21, at 10 p.m. ET (Game Center), with the starting center decision between Ighodaro and Maluach still to be announced.
Photo credit
Photo by All-Pro Reels, CC-BY-SA-2.0, resized. Luke Kennard with the Clippers, January 2022.
Keep reading
Read the full article for more context and the latest details.