Forward Ish Wainwright has been waived by the Phoenix Suns, according to a press release.
Wainwright played two seasons in Phoenix. Known as “Strongman” since he is a former football player who weighs 250 pounds, Wainwright was a fan favorite but not a player who could step in and play serious minutes for a championship team.
The Suns are down to 16 players on their roster with standard contracts. Phoenix has to make one more cut so it has 15 players by Oct. 23, the predetermined date for NBA teams to have 15 standard-contract players on their rosters.
Here are two candidates for the Suns to release based on preseason games.
Keon Johnson
The Suns received Keon Johnson in their deal that brought in Jusuf Nurkic from the Portland Trail Blazers along with forward Nassir Little.
Johnson is a former five-star prospect who was picked No. 21 in the 2021 NBA Draft. He has potential but the Suns are going all-in for a championship and need role players who are ready to fill significant needs next to Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
Keon Johnson in two seasons in which he got over 10 minutes per game shot below 40 percent from the field.
Bol Bol
There is no reason Suns fans should expect Bol Bol to play a significant role on this team, even though he is a fan favorite.
Bol, who was a five-star prospect out of college who had a foot injury and fell out of top-five draft consideration, is a fun player but he has not bought into a center role. Bol at media day said he can play guard or center but Suns coach Frank Vogel made it clear Bol is a center.
Bol was the last player to enter Monday's preseason game against the Trail Blazers. Fans had to beg for him to even come in the game.
Bol could have some value on the trade market. It's expected he would be deep in the Suns' rotation if he is not waived.
Follow Us
Subscribe