The Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers have their first injury report of the season, and the biggest name on it for Phoenix is the one that was expected all along: Mark Williams is out for Wednesday night’s opener at Moda Center.
Williams, the Suns’ starting center, was already known to be sidelined after suffering a shoulder injury during workouts in training camp. The expectation is that he’ll be back after the new year, with a more specific return window still not clear.
For now, Phoenix appears set to lean on Oso Ighodaro to fill the starting role, while Khaman Maluach moves into the No. 2 center spot. Those two battled for the job through camp and preseason, and Ighodaro came out in front the whole way.
Phoenix has plenty of confidence in Ighodaro, especially after he signed a contract extension with the team this week. Suns general manager Brian Gregory put that belief plainly in a statement: “His combination of physical tools and basketball IQ allows our team to be more versatile on both ends of the floor.
Oso has made significant strides since we drafted him, and we know his commitment will see him continue to develop. We’re excited to keep him in his hometown community," Suns general manager Brian Gregory said in a statement.
Luke Kennard gives the Suns another injury wrinkle. The new Phoenix guard is questionable after hurting his knee last week in preseason action against Chicago, and he hasn’t played since, including Friday’s preseason finale.
The latest update from coach Ott was encouraging, though not definitive. “He did more today, for sure, in practice," Ott said of Kennard yesterday.
"This was kind of a test day to see exactly where he's at. Tomorrow will be a lower day.
Try to be right for Wednesday.”
If Kennard is available, he should have room to work with in a backcourt that also includes Jalen Green, Devin Booker and Collin Gillespie. Phoenix brought him in to help replace some of the three-point shooting it lost after trading both Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale over the summer for Miles Bridges, and Kennard was one of the league’s better long-range shooters last season.
Portland’s report carries its own uncertainty. Deni Avdija is questionable with right ankle soreness, and Micah Potter is also questionable because of illness. The Blazers will definitely be without Branden Carlson, who has a concussion, Shaedon Sharpe, who is recovering from meniscus surgery, and Chris Youngblood, who is dealing with left ankle soreness.
The opener is scheduled for just after 7:00 p.m. local time in Portland, and Phoenix is expected to get another update from Ott before tip on whether Kennard will suit up. The Suns believe he’ll be ready unless something changes.
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Suns Open With One Big Question About Their New Look Around Booker
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Phoenixs changes were built around that idea, from swapping out Grayson Allen and Royce ONeale to bringing in Miles Bridges and moving up in the draft for Koa Peat. Even so, the most immediate question is less about the shiny new pieces than the middle of the floor, where the Suns are still sorting out who is going to handle the starting center role while Mark Williams is sidelined. [Read more 🡒]