The Phoenix Suns have swooped in to sign coveted free agent Haywood Highsmith. It's a development that may not directly impact the Los Angeles Lakers on the surface, but has ultimately deprived head coach JJ Redick of the opportunity to add a quality two-way wing to his rotation.
It's a painful development for a Lakers team that desperately needs low-cost talent that can compete and contribute on both ends of the floor.
Highsmith turned heads in 2023-24 and 2024-25 by stepping up in a significant role for the Miami Heat. Unfortunately, he tore his meniscus in August and ultimately went from being traded to the Brooklyn Nets to being outright waived.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Suns have capitalized on Highsmith returning to good health by outbidding multiple playoff teams to sign him to a deal that will span multiple seasons.
Highsmith considered multiple playoff teams before reaching an agreement with the Suns on Saturday, sources said. Known as a gritty, two-way player when healthy, he joins a Phoenix team that is 32-23 at the All-Star break -- 1.5 games out of the 5th seed. https://t.co/xXVTD0JGIy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 14, 2026
Though the Lakers weren't directly named, Highsmith would've been a perfect fit in their rotation as a two-way player who would've checked multiple pivotal boxes.
Suns sign 3-and-D specialist, dream Lakers target Haywood Highsmith
Highsmith was a featured contributor for the Heat during each of the past two seasons. He played 20.7 minutes per game on the 46-36 team in 2023-24 and did his best to help Miami overcome the loss of Jimmy Butler during his 24.6 minutes per contest in 2024-25.
Highsmith more than delivered in those minutes, averaging 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 three-point field goals made on .458/.382/.721 shooting.
In addition to shooting efficiently, Highsmith ranked amongst the best defensive players in the NBA during the 2024-25 season. According to Basketball Index, he finished in the 96th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 98th percentile in ball screen navigation, and the 81st percentile in passing lane defense.
For a Lakers team that has a well-documented need for both three-point shooting and defense at the point of attack, failing to sign Highsmith is an agonizing twist. Allowing a team they've faced in the playoffs a remarkable 13 times only stiffens the blow.
Clearly, Highsmith wasn't going to single-handedly save the Lakers' woeful perimeter defense. What he could've managed, however, was to provide Los Angeles with a two-way wing who can compete on either end of the court.
Though there was no guarantee that he'd want to play in Los Angeles, the Lakers' lack of dependable two-way perimeter players makes it even more difficult to process how they let Highsmith go to a rival.