TRADE DEAL: Unexpected Turn: TyTy Washington Joins Lakers for $159 Million, Exiting Suns Agreement

Unexpected turn of events, TyTy Washington, the promising young point guard originally set to join the Phoenix Suns on a two-way contract, has now been signed by the Los Angeles Lakers for a staggering $137 million. This surprise move was confirmed by Washington’s agent, who initially announced Washington’s agreement with the Suns to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

TyTy Washington Jr., a Valley native and former standout at Phoenix’s Cesar Chavez High School and Chandler’s AZ Compass Prep, had been poised to bring his talents to the Suns. He boasts 42 games of NBA experience from his time with the Houston Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks. During his rookie season with the Rockets in 2022-23, Washington averaged 4.7 points and 1.5 assists over 14 minutes per game. However, he found limited opportunities with the Bucks last season.

Washington’s trajectory seemed set for a significant role in the Suns’ development system, joining rookie wing Jalen Bridges and Collin Gillespie to fill the team’s three two-way slots. These slots do not count against the 15-man roster maximum, allowing players to shuttle between the NBA squad and the new G League team, the Valley Suns. Washington’s connection to Phoenix extended beyond his local roots and included playing under new Suns assistant Chaisson Allen with the Wisconsin Herd of the G League. Over 24 games with the Herd, he averaged an impressive 21.3 points and 8.3 assists while shooting 47% overall and 43% from deep on a high volume of 6.5 attempts per game.