The Phoenix Suns are bringing a fan favorite back to the Valley, as Ish Wainright has officially signed with Phoenix on a two-way deal.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Phoenix #Suns officially sign Ish Wainright and waive Théo Maledon pic.twitter.com/Dkjb0IZR4c
— Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau) March 5, 2024
The Suns (35-26) only have 21 games left, and Wainright won’t be eligible for the playoffs on a two-way contract.
”God Is Good,” Wainright posted on X shortly after the new was first reported.
God is Good 🙏🏽
— Ish Strongman Wainright 😈 (@Wainright24) March 4, 2024
Before the move, Phoenix had no open two-way spots, but one open on the standard roster. The move either meant one of the three two-way players (Saben Lee, Theo Maledon, Udoka Azubuike) would be signed to a standard deal or be waived.
Now it’s official, Maledon has been waived. Maledon only appeared in four games this season in garbage time.
The Suns waived Wainright before this season and hoped to bring him back on a two-way contract, but the Portland Trail Blazers came in and signed him. However, the Blazers waived Wainright on Jan. 6 after he only played seven games for them.
“He was in here (this summer) more than anybody on our team,” coach Frank Vogel said of Wainright during training camp. “Extremely, extremely dedicated hard worker. Wants to perfect his craft. A good culture guy and our whole organization loves having him around, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know him.”
Wainright is still deeply rooted in Arizona and has been seen on social media living in the Valley.
Even though he didn’t play many minutes per game during his time before the Suns, Wainright, a former NFL player, became a fan-favorite in Phoenix since joining the team in the 2021-22 season. The 29-year-old, 6-foot-5 forward averaged 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in just over 15 minutes per game last season. He played in 60 games total for the year.
Now, Wainright comes back to a place that he loves and where he is loved.
Suns “Hoping” to Bring Ish Wainright Back after Waiving Him Today
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
