Bol Bol staying with Phoenix Suns on 1-year deal, team announces

Phoenix Suns reserve big man Bol Bol will stay with the team on a one-year deal after a limited but promising season with the team last year, the team announced Sunday.

Because of the Suns’ salary cap situation, they were limited to giving Bol a minor raise because they didn’t hold his Bird rights that accumulate with multiple seasons playing for a single team.

Phoenix could only offer him a 120% raise or 120% increase from veteran minimum salary slot for the big man’s five years of prior NBA service.

Bol made $2.2 million last season.

Under since-fired head coach Frank Vogel, the 24-year-old averaged 5.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 10.6 minutes per game last season.

He shot 61.6% from the field and knocked down 42.3% of his three-pointers, developing a sense of how to pick his spots and remain confident in an offense dominated by stars Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.

The Suns entered the offseason with center Jusuf Nurkic returning and backup center Drew Eubanks opting out of his contract, leaving room for Bol or others to fill in as a backup big.

The 7-foot-3 Bol entered the NBA after a single injury-riddled year with the Oregon Ducks. Once viewed as a potential lottery pick, he went 44th overall to the Denver Nuggets in 2019 but couldn’t find traction on a competitive team.

Denver attempted to trade him to the Detroit Pistons in 2022, but it was voided due to a failed physical. Ultimately, Bol was traded weeks later in a deal to the Boston Celtics, who quickly rerouted him to the Orlando Magic. There, the center put together his best statistical season — 9.1 points and 5.8 rebounds — over 70 games in 2022-23.

He was waived last offseason before signing with the Suns on a one-year deal.

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