Phoenix Suns Add Point Guard Sam Hoiberg

What happened?

The Phoenix Suns added Koa Peat with a splash trade into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. However, the Suns quickly got to work after the draft in the free agent pool of rookies and snagged Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg.

This is likely a two-way contract ahead of the summer. Hoiberg did workout with the Suns pre-draft, so there was some established interest.

Why it matters for Phoenix Suns

Phoenix initially had the No. 47 pick, so most of their efforts were more so focused on the pool of players who would be available later in round two. Hoiberg spent all four college seasons with the Cornhuskers and was considered to be one of Nebraska's top "glue guys" and averaged 9.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per night to pair with two steals.

As Fischer highlights, he was a Big Ten All-Defensive selection. According to On3, Hoiberg's 3.75-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio was the top in a single season for a Nebraska player.

What comes next?

Hoiberg shot 38% from deep and is a hustle player, which sounds exactly like the sort of guard Phoenix would want to evaluate as Summer League action is right around the corner. Hoiberg is a bit undersized at 6-0 and 185 pounds while being a bit older at 23 years old.

The Suns have fairly deep guard depth with Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin in the mix, so if Hoiberg has any shot of playing time, he'll have to see his tough brand of basketball translate from Nebraska to the NBA fairly seamlessly.

Still, in the short term, it's a solid pickup for Phoenix with Summer League action coming in mid-July. The Suns now likely have their starting point guard in place.