The Phoenix Suns are quickly moving to bolster their frontcourt after Mark Williams suffered a shoulder injury last week. The team is set to sign center Duop Reath, as reported by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania. Reath, 30, has had an unconventional journey to the NBA. After starting at a community college and then transferring to LSU for his later college years, he played professionally overseas in China, Serbia, and Lebanon before finally debuting in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2023-2024 season.
Reath participated in the 2022 Summer League with the Suns and now gets an opportunity to earn a spot on the regular-season roster. With Williams likely sidelined for most of the season, Reath is expected to serve as a backup center behind 2025 lottery pick Khaman Maluach and third-year big man Oso Ighodaro.
In his rookie year, Reath averaged 9 points, 4 rebounds, and shot 36% from beyond the arc. However, his minutes and productivity have declined since then, especially after Portland drafted Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen in 2024 and 2025. His playing time decreased over the subsequent seasons, and he missed the latter half of the 2025-2026 season following a stress fracture in his right foot.
Known for his willingness to shoot from three-point range, Reath could carve out a role on the Suns thanks to the team’s current injury woes in the frontcourt and his ability to stretch the floor—a skill that both Ighodaro and Maluach have rarely displayed so far. Fans can expect Reath’s minutes to increase, particularly if the Suns’ big men run into foul trouble or further injuries.
With the Suns’ preseason less than three weeks away and the regular season tipping off on October 21st, Duop Reath’s addition could prove to be a timely boost.
Fan Take: This signing is a crucial move for the Suns as they navigate frontcourt injuries, showing how teams are valuing versatile big men who can shoot from outside. For basketball enthusiasts, Reath’s journey underscores how perseverance and adaptability can create late-breaking NBA opportunities, potentially inspiring a new wave of players who take unconventional routes to the league.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
