PHOENIX – One of the biggest snags for the Phoenix Suns was claiming guard Jordan Goodwin off waivers. Despite having a stellar end of season run with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team waived him to make room for former defensive player of the year Marcus Smart. Los Angeles’ loss is Phoenix’s gain, as Goodwin has a real opportunity to be a rotational piece for the team.
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Apr 13, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Goodwin (30) chats with referee David Guthrie (16) in the first half in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images
What does a productive season from Goodwin look like for Suns?
At only 6’3, Goodwin is the perfect prototypical 3-and-D player every contender would love to have on the roster. His arrival post All-Star break saw a major uptick in deflections. The Lakers went from 26th in the league to 11th in deflections. Goodwin was second on the team with 2.2 deflections, only behind superstar guard Luka Doncic.
Dec 25, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jordan Goodwin (0) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
The on-ball pressure and help defense is Goodwin’s greatest strengths, which is saying something for a player who just shot a career high from beyond the arc. The 26-year-old shot 38.2% from the 3-point line last year on 2.3 attempts. Before the Lakers, Goodwin never shot above 33% in a season, including with the Suns where he shot 28.8%.
In only a 29-game sample size in Los Angeles, it’ll be a challenge for Goodwin to maintain that shooting over the course of a 82-game season. However, if he shoots at the minimum at league average from the perimeter, then Goodwin will have a consistent and prominent role in next year’s rotation.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
