Nick Richards’ performance exposes gaps in Suns’ center depth against quality teams

Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards is valuable but is showing limitations against tough competition.

As I slouched into my seat at the Footprint Center last night, drowning in the pulsating chaos of Suns versus Clippers, I glanced to my left. The stranger beside me, equally engrossed in the mayhem, became my sounding board for a question that had been gnawing at me as the fourth quarter progressed. First, though…props to Buzz RX for the seats. You’re the real MVP. Anyway, it was the fourth quarter, tensions were rising, and I finally asked, “Where’s Nick Richards?”.

Nick Richards has exploded onto the Phoenix Suns scene, injecting a spark and a style of play at the center position this team desperately needed. An athletic, rim-running big with lateral quickness and shot-blocking ability, all qualities the Suns had been sorely missing. You weren’t getting that from Jusuf Nurkic. And Mason Plumlee? He doesn’t bring that to the table either.

In his five games with the Suns so far, Nick Richards has shown flashes of brilliance, but a concerning trend is emerging. While he’s been a force against weaker competition, his production drops significantly against tougher opponents.

There’s something head coach Mike Budenholzer sees that forces his hand against stronger opponents.

Take the Cleveland Cavaliers game, for example. Foul trouble derailed Nick Richards early. He picked up two offensive fouls and, with 6:20 left in the second quarter and the Suns down 42-35, he committed his third. Coach Bud had no choice but to sit him, opting instead to go small against one of the league’s top teams—a gamble that backfired.

When Richards returned with 10:09 left in the third quarter, the Suns were already in a 67-48 hole. In his 10 minutes during the second half, Richards struggled to make an impact, going just 1-of-2 from the field, grabbing one rebound, and committing two more fouls. It was a tough outing for the big man in a game where the Suns desperately needed him to shine.

Last night against the Clippers, Nick Richards clearly struggled to handle the massive presence of Ivica Zubac. The Harden-Zubac pick-and-roll relentlessly tore apart the Suns’ defense, with Zubac finishing the game with six dunks.

The numbers tell the story: in the 5:43 minutes that Richards was tasked with guarding Zubac, he allowed 17 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting. It was a tough matchup that exposed cracks in the Suns’ interior defense.

Phoenix strutted into halftime with a 13-point lead, a cushion built largely during moments when Nick Richards wasn’t on the floor. He was the lone Sun with a negative plus-minus at the break, posting a -4 in the first half.

Then came the third quarter, where the Suns did what they’ve become infamous for: leaving their energy back in the locker room. A lifeless 20-6 run by the Clippers obliterated that once-comfortable lead. And who was manning the center position during that collapse? You guessed it. Nick Richards.

Coach Bud decided to pull Richards with 5:52 left and he never looked back. The moment he came out of the game, the Suns went on a 10-3 run.

When I asked about riding the game out with Mason Plumlee, coach Budenholzer responded that Mason, “was playing well. His activity, both defensively and offensively. Really felt like he was everywhere.”

The truth? Mason Plumlee outshined Nick Richards in this one. It was a matchup tailor-made for him. Maybe it’s because he knows the Clippers’ system from his time there last season, but Plumlee was the Suns’ best chance to secure the win. Plain and simple.

Lord knows I’ve been driving the hype train for Nick Richards. I was all in on his addition to the Suns, believing he filled a glaring hole in the roster. But last night, and against Cleveland, was a humbling reminder: Richards has his limitations. He’s not prime Shaq. He’s not even Suns Shaq. He’ll have his moments, no doubt, but there’s a reason he’s making $5 million a year.

Some matchups just don’t suit him, and unfortunately, those tend to be against quality teams thus far. The kind of opponents you need him to thrive against. His lob threat brings a dimension to the Suns’ offense that’s been sorely missing, but it doesn’t matter if he’s stuck on the bench. Just ask Jusuf Nurkic.

Thankfully for the Suns, they have just enough depth to adjust and throw different looks at opposing teams. Mason Plumlee stepped up in a big way last night. While he didn’t light up the scoreboard — finishing with 0 points — his impact was undeniable. Plumlee posted a team-best +22 and clogged up the paint just enough to disrupt Zubac, helping the Suns hold off the Clippers.

He logged 11 critical minutes in the fourth quarter, proving his value as a defensive presence. Across three games against the Clippers this season, Plumlee has matched up with Zubac for 8 minutes and 41 possessions, holding him to just 10 points. It’s not flashy, but it’s exactly what the Suns needed.

This is why the Suns might still be in the market for another center. Sure, the idea of holding five centers sounds absurd — it’s a third of your roster — but if the Suns can somehow move off Jusuf Nurkic’s contract while adding another center, it could be the best-case scenario as the trade deadline approaches.

Bradley Beal isn’t going anywhere, and while Richards has shown flashes of value, he’ll need to prove more against the tougher competition looming ahead. Leaning on Mason Plumlee alone isn’t a sustainable solution. Having flexibility in terms of player archetypes at the center position is helpful, but ultimately, the Suns need Richards to step up.

I return to my conversation with the stranger next to me at last night’s game. Upon asking where the newly acquired center was, they responded with a question of their own. “Is that the new guy?”. I guess they aren’t on the hype train. And honestly, after last night, I can’t say I blame them.