Suns Exercise Team Option on Key Forward's Contract

This Suns forward will be sticking around in Phoenix.

Sep 24, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) poses for portrait during Media Day at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- Ahead of the Phoenix Suns' preseason opener Friday, Phoenix made a big decision for next season.

The Suns announced Thursday that they exercised the third-year team option for the 2026-27 season on forward Ryan Dunn. Spotrac's Keith Smith first reported the news on X and has his third year valued at $2.8 million.

OFFICIAL: The Phoenix Suns exercise third-year option on Ryan Dunn. pic.twitter.com/r5sPNGs84c

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 2, 2025

Dunn is entering the second year of his rookie contract and also has a team option on the fourth year.

Teams have a deadline of Oct. 31 to exercise rookie scale team options for the 2026-27 season, so the Suns got it out of the way early.

Dunn will likely be a full-time starter for the Suns this season, so Phoenix gets great average value for his role on his current deal.

With the Suns exercising Dunn's option, Phoenix now has nine players under contract through at least the end of the 2026-27 season with Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, Khaman Maluach, Oso Ighodaro and Rasheer Fleming being the others.

Dunn had a very strong rookie year last season after being drafted No. 28 overall, showcasing his impressive defensive prowess and an improved 3-point shot from college.

Heading into his sophomore season, Dunn will look to build off a solid Summer League showing where he looked well-rounded in all aspects of the game.

"I don't want to say I'm trying to prove anything to anybody. I'm just trying to improve my game and grow in every aspect I can," Dunn said at last week's media day on his mindset entering his second season. "I think just my mindset now is, obviously, I can improve it in shooting and be more consistent in that, but not trying to have everyone say, 'Oh, he can't shoot. I got to prove them wrong.'

"Just continuing to work out, continue to get better in every aspect as I can, and just grow from that point on."

You can read more about some of the other financial decisions the Suns have to make before the start of the season by clicking here.

Here's more on Dunn from the team's press release:

"Entering his second NBA season, Dunn participated in the Castrol Rising Stars challenge at NBA All-Star 2025 and was the recipient of the Suns Majerle Hustle Award as a rookie. He averaged 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 19.1 minutes across 74 games, starting 44, while ranking third among all NBA rookies last season with a defended field goal percentage of 44.6%. The 28th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Dunn became just the third rookie in Suns history to record at least 80 three-point makes and 80 steals-plus-blocks."