The Phoenix Suns may already have a Mark Williams problem, and Summer League only made it louder.
Phoenix shut down Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and rookie Koa Peat after four games because they had been so effective in Las Vegas. That decision says plenty about where the organization thinks those young pieces are headed, and it also puts a spotlight on Williams, the starting center the Suns just extended.
Williams, 24, put together a career year last season, even if the bar was fairly low after an injury-riddled run with the Charlotte Hornets. When he’s right, he can still give Phoenix real value - protecting the rim, making life miserable in the paint and anchoring a defense on certain nights.
But the bigger issue is availability. He’s never been able to get through a full season, and injuries have kept him from appearing in the playoffs, including the matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
That’s where the Suns’ frontcourt picture starts to get crowded. Maluach, in particular, has already closed ground on Williams compared with the end of last season, and in Las Vegas he looked far more confident.
He’s growing into his frame, too, which only adds to the pressure. Peat, meanwhile, has the kind of energy that makes him look like a natural small-ball five, especially with the way he attacks the glass.
Fleming isn’t directly chasing Williams’ job, but he’s clearly in position to eat into minutes.
Then there’s Oso Ighodaro, who has settled into a useful role by bouncing between forward and center.
Miles Bridges adds another wrinkle, and not the comforting kind. The fit feels familiar from Charlotte, and not in a good way. The Suns do have some financial flexibility here - Williams is set to make $38 million over the next three years - so a bench role is at least possible.
But the bigger picture is hard to miss. Phoenix appears to have hit on its last two draft picks, and both of them play in the same neighborhood as Williams. That makes a 60-game center who might need to come off the bench look less like a luxury and more like a mismatch the roster can’t really hide.
In Other News...
Suns Offseason Progress Came With A Tradeoff Fans Will Feel
Phoenixs offseason brought a little more stability than splash, with Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin all back in the fold and Koa Peat, Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard joining the mix. ESPN rewarded that work by nudging the Suns up in its latest NBA power rankings, a small but meaningful bump that reflects both last seasons competitiveness and the front offices effort to keep the roster from slipping further.
Miles Bridges is the headliner among the newcomers, and the Suns are also hoping for a healthier version of Jalen Green after a hamstring issue wrecked his first season in Phoenix. Even so, the roster still has some familiar questions hanging over it, especially when it comes to balance and the kind of guard play that can steady a team over the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Already Facing Big Miles Bridges Question After Bold Trade
Miles Bridges is already giving the Suns a new kind of offseason dilemma, because the trade that brought him over from Charlotte looks like more than a one-year rental. Phoenix moved to add the power forward with an eye on what comes next, and league chatter has already turned to whether the team wants to keep him around long term after this upcoming season. General manager Brian Gregory has publicly highlighted Bridges competitiveness and energy, while Bridges has said his focus is on helping the Suns chase a championship.
The contract situation is what makes this so interesting for Phoenix. Bridges is on an expiring deal, which means the Suns have to decide quickly whether this is just a bold swing for immediate help or the start of a deeper commitment. After sending Royce O'Neale, Grayson Allen, and draft-pick swaps to Charlotte, the front office has made clear it sees real value here, and the next step will tell the story of how far it wants to go. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Ott Looks Like The Coach The Suns Desperately Needed
Jordan Otts first season in Phoenix gave the Suns something they had been missing for a while: stability with a clear identity. After a summer of low expectations, the team pushed its way back into the playoffs and did it with a top 10 defense, while also finding ways to fold new pieces into the rotation. Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams were among the additions that had to be absorbed on the fly, and Otts ability to keep the group organized through the inevitable bumps was a big part of why the season did not go sideways.
The bigger reason the year matters for Phoenix is that Ott appears to fit the structure above him as much as the roster around him. Brian Gregory and Mat Ishbia have been looking for a coach who can turn a perceived weakness into a strength, and Otts first run suggested that might be exactly what they found. The next test is whether that same approach holds when the roster changes again, especially with the Miles Bridges acquisition looming as the kind of move that can reshape the conversation fast. [Read more 🡒]