PHOENIX -- The Suns’ training camp picture changed before it even got started.
Phoenix said last week that starting center Mark Williams had surgery to repair a torn labrum, an injury that typically comes with a recovery of at least five months. That leaves the Suns with a new problem in a spot that looked settled.
With Williams sidelined, the starting five has to shift, and the center battle suddenly becomes the most important one on the roster. The most likely answer right now is Oso Ighodaro, who gets the edge over Khaman Maluach because of his experience and the trust he has earned from coach Jordan Ott. But that could change fast.
The projected rotation now looks like this:
PG: Devin Booker, Collin Gillespie, Jamaree Bouyea, Pat Spencer (2W)
SG: Jalen Green, Luke Kennard, Haywood Highsmith, Koby Brea (2W)
SF: Dillon Brooks, Jordan Goodwin, Ryan Dunn
PF: Miles Bridges, Rasheer Fleming, Koa Peat
C: Oso Ighodaro, Khaman Maluach, CJ Huntley (2W)
Huntley, while listed as the third-string center, does not appear to be a real part of the immediate plan. He looks more like an emergency option unless he takes a real step forward in the G League. Even then, the Suns could lean on smaller looks with Fleming, Peat and Dunn before turning to him.
That leaves Maluach as one of the most intriguing names in the mix. If he earns the job, it would be the kind of development Phoenix can live with after a strong Summer League showing. He barely played at times as a rookie, but there were flashes after the Suns drafted him No. 10 overall.
There’s also a bigger-picture wrinkle if Maluach ends up starting. Phoenix would then have three starters from the blockbuster Kevin Durant trade to the Houston Rockets, the deal that brought back Green, Brooks and the draft picks that became Maluach, Fleming and Brea.
The center spot isn’t the only question, though. The Suns also have to figure out how to use all the depth they’ve packed into the rest of the roster, where several quality players could wind up buried.
Williams’ absence could create more room for players like Highsmith if Phoenix starts mixing and matching lineups to cover for the loss. That kind of approach could also help the Suns play faster, defend more switchably and open the floor on offense.
If recent history is any guide, this won’t be the only injury Phoenix has to manage. But with training camp ahead, the Suns at least have time to sort out how they plan to replace Williams.
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Phoenix has no intention of moving him and still plans to build around him, but the very fact that another contender would line up so quickly speaks to the larger risk for the Suns. When a player of Bookers stature is the axis of your team, every bit of outside interest becomes a test of conviction, and every front-office move gets measured against the same question: how long can you keep the core intact while the rest of the league keeps circling? [Read more 🡒]