The Phoenix Suns have added a former teammate of Damian Lillard for the upcoming 2026-2027 NBA season.
Free agent center Duop Reath signed a one-year, veteran minimum contract with the Suns, after playing the past season with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The move provides the Suns with critical frontcourt depth after starting center Mark Williams was ruled out for several months following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Reath, a 30-year-old stretch big, reportedly chose Phoenix over several other offers, including interest from the New York Knicks.
In Phoenix, Reath will compete for minutes and provide veteran backup support alongside young big men Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro.
Last season, Reath appeared in 32 games and averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.1 minutes of action per contest.
Despite the limited playing time, he remained an efficient perimeter threat for a big man, shooting 44.6% from the field and a sharp 41.8% from three-point range.
Reath spent his first three NBA seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. His 2025–26 campaign ended early in January due to a right foot stress fracture. He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in February and subsequently waived.
New York Knicks Was Once Interested In Duop Reath
The New York Knicks were interested in Duop Reath before he signed with the Phoenix Suns.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that the Knicks were in contact with big men Duop Reath and former Warriors player James Wiseman to strengthen their center rotation behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.
Reath was an appealing target because he offers stretch-5 capability, which could open the floor for Finals MVP Jalen Brunson.
“Other players the Knicks have been in touch with as training camp nears: Guard Gabe Vincent, who is working out with the team, and big men Duop Reath and James Wiseman, per SNY sources,” Begley reported.
Duop Reath’s NBA Journey Is A Unique One
Reath has carved out a unique journey as a late-blooming, floor-spacing center in the NBA. After going undrafted out of LSU in 2018 and spending five years playing overseas in Serbia, Australia, and China, he finally made his NBA debut with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023 at the age of 27.
Reath originally signed a two-way contract with the Trail Blazers in 2023 but quickly proved his worth on the main roster. He played in 68 games, and started in 20 of them, averaging a career-high 9.1 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, shooting a solid 35.9% from behind the arc.
His performance earned him a multi-year standard NBA contract mid-season.
Reath’s role decreased following roster changes in Portland. He appeared in 46 games, averaging 4.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in limited floor time.
Before even playing a game in the NBA, Reath played in the Olympics in Tokyo and Paris with the Australian national team and the FIBA World Cup.
Reath again has a chance to extend his NBA career with the Suns, a dark horse contender for the playoffs.
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