The Los Angeles Lakers were once the franchise savvy enough to find Jordan Goodwin on the fringes of the NBA and give him an opportunity to make his claim on sticking around in the league. Now, they are the organization who will continue to regret letting him go at every step.
After being waived by the Lakers last offseason and finding a new home with the Phoenix Suns, Goodwin had his best season as an NBA pro. His 3-and-D capabilities were on full display, and many believed a sizable payday in free agency was coming as a result.
This sparked hope of a potential reunion in Los Angeles. The Lakers have an influx of money on its way. If Goodwin became an unrestricted free agent, Rob Pelinka could have paid up to undo the mistake of letting him walk. Instead, it quickly became clear the Suns had no intention of letting things get to that point. What truly hurts is the steal of a price they agreed on to retain him.
Shams Charania reported on Twitter/X: "Free agent guard Jordan Goodwin intends to sign a three-year, $19 million deal to return to the Phoenix Suns, with a player option in the third season, sources tell ESPN."
Jordan Goodwin's cheap deal deepens the dismay of Lakers letting him go
Goodwin's new three-year deal comes in at an annual average of just $6.3 million per season. That is incredible value for a player who has adapted himself to fitting the NBA's most valuable mold of role players.
Defense has always been a strength for Goodwin. That was what created momentum for him in Los Angeles. The lengthy defender was often caught creating havoc against opposing offensive players with his wingspan and high motor on the perimeter.
The offensive side of the basketball court is where Goodwin needed to add more if he wanted to earn his keep. Starting off in Los Angeles and putting an exclamation mark on it in Phoenix, the pesky defender did that by turning himself into a legit shooter.
Goodwin connected on 38.2 percent from beyond the arc with the Lakers in 2024-25. However, that mark only came on 2.3 attempts per game.
Goodwin nearly doubled that volume in Phoenix during the 2025-26 season, increasing that number to 4.3 3-point shots taken a night. His percentage largely held up with him still pocketing those shots at a 37.1 percent clip from deep.
A strong combination of shooting and defense will never be undesired in the NBA. It is even more valuable around a franchise superstar like Luka Doncic.
The Lakers uncovered the hidden gem that was Goodwin. They proceeded to give him away of their own accord. For a team who will be desperately looking for the qualities he possesses on the free agent market this summer, seeing how cheap it would have been to pay up for him after a breakout season has to sting to unbelievable lengths.
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