Oso Ighodaro exits Suns-Trail Blazers with apparent hip injury

Phoenix Suns center Oso Ighodaro exited the team’s season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers with an apparent right hip injury Wednesday.

Ighodaro was seen grabbing at the hip and moving gingerly, then headed off to Phoenix’s locker room shortly before the first half ended. He was officially ruled out minutes into the third quarter.

Before the Suns’ final preseason game on Oct. 16, Ighodaro was scratched from the game with minor hip soreness.

Ighodaro came off the bench in Phoenix’s regular-season opener, as second-year center Khaman Maluach earned the starting spot. Ighodaro has averaged 20 minutes, 5.5 points and 4.5 rebounds across 143 games for the Suns and was rewarded for his efforts with a three-year, $29 million extension signed on Sunday.

Despite not starting, Ighodaro played more minutes (14) than Maluach (9) in the first half, going 4-for-7 from the field for eight points. He also recorded three rebounds and three assists.

The Suns are down big to the Trail Blazers at halftime, 72-39.

Maluach and two-way center Duop Reath are expected to fill in the center minutes with Ighodaro ruled out for the rest of the game.

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