Jordan Ott on Duop Reath: a ‘different piece’ who must crash and pressure the ball

SAN ANTONIO — Oct. 14, 2026 — With Mark Williams still recovering from shoulder surgery, the Phoenix Suns have spent preseason trying to sort out a third big behind Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach. Before Wednesday’s exhibition against the Spurs, coach Jordan Ott framed Duop Reath as a different piece in that mix — and then used him in the second-half starting group after Luke Kennard left the game.

“Duop is a different piece we didn’t have, but we’re going to change it to his strengths,” Ott said. “But at the same time, we’re going to ask him to crash. We’re going to ask him to pressure the basketball. We’re going to ask him to do some of the things that we still want to do as a team.”

Suns coach Jordan Ott on Duop Reath: “Duop is a different piece we didn’t have, but we’re going to change it to his strengths, but at the same time, we’re going to ask him to crash. We’re going to ask him to pressure the basketball. We’re going to ask him to do some of the things… pic.twitter.com/44F2FanybD

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 15, 2026

Back end of the rotation, not a like-for-like

Ott tied Reath’s role to the end of the bench and to how Phoenix’s young bigs share the floor. “And that changes, that’s part of the back end of the rotation,” he said. “We’re trying to figure out with young guys and how our young guys play together.”

That is the point of the Reath experiment: he is not being asked to become Ighodaro or Maluach. Ott wants the 6-foot-9 veteran’s own strengths — crashing the glass, pressuring the ball — while still fitting Phoenix’s team habits. Reath signed a training-camp deal after Williams’ shoulder surgery left the Suns thin at center.

Reath starts the second half in San Antonio

Phoenix rested Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Miles Bridges, Oso Ighodaro and Collin Gillespie against San Antonio and started Jamaree Bouyea, Luke Kennard, Ryan Dunn, Haywood Highsmith and Khaman Maluach. Kennard left after an awkward landing on a drive in the first half and did not return. For the second half, the Suns started Bouyea, Koby Brea (in for Kennard), Dunn, Highsmith and Reath, Duane Rankin reported.

Suns started Jamaree Bouyea, Koby Brea (for Luke Kennard), Ryan Dunn, Haywood Highsmith and Duop Reath.

Kennard won't return to game, per Suns. Waiting for more information on what exactly is wrong.

Look like he initially grabbed behind his left knee and then at the top of his…

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 15, 2026

Ott had already said Booker and the other rested regulars had a strong morning workout and that the staff hoped to see them Friday in the final preseason game against Utah. With one exhibition left, the Reath look — and how he shares minutes with Maluach when Ighodaro sits — is one of the clearest remaining roster questions before the Oct. 21 opener at Portland.