Phoenix Suns sign C Duop Reath for depth after Mark Williams injury

With starting center Mark Williams set to miss several months, the Phoenix Suns have signed center Duop Reath to a contract, per Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro.

Gambadoro reports Phoenix was among a handful of teams interested in Reath.

Reath spent his last three seasons playing for the Portland Trail Blazers after taking a long road to arrive in the NBA. He went undrafted out of LSU in 2018 before playing overseas in Serbia, Australia, China and Lebanon. A year after playing for the Suns’ summer league team in 2022, Reath returned to Las Vegas for his fourth go, this time with the Blazers, and that was his breakthrough to earning a roster spot.

The 30-year-old owned a consistent role as a rookie in the 2023-24 season, averaging 17.9 minutes and starting in 20 of his 68 games played. Reath offered a reliable pick-and-pop threat offensively along with sound shot-blocking abilities and interior finishing.

In the next two seasons with Portland, however, Reath’s role faded. The Blazers drafted Donovan Clingan seventh overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, and also had the duo of Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams. Even with Ayton’s departure last season, Portland turned to a healthier Williams alongside Clingan, granting some rare looks to first-round pick Yang Hansen as well. Reath was a nice find for the Blazers three years ago, but never developed into someone they wanted to commit playing time toward as a reserve center.

The Suns aren’t expected to have Mark Williams for a majority of the season due to a torn labrum in his shoulder, and without him, were looking at a roster with only two available centers. Second-year big Khaman Maluach is expected to have a bigger role, as is third-year center Oso Ighodaro. It would be surprising to see Reath emerge as a threat to playing time for either young guy, unless Maluach struggles immensely. Reath instead provides some insurance on the end of the bench in the event of more injuries.

Phoenix begins preseason play on Oct. 5 and the regular season on Oct. 21.

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