When the Phoenix Suns had a nine point lead over the Portland Trail Blazers with around five minutes left, how confident were you?
It looked like Phoenix was going to cap off an unexpectedly competitive regular season by making the playoffs, richly deserved for all involved.
Then Jordan Ott decided not to play Mark Williams when it mattered.
The 24-year-old center remaining on the bench for the entire fourth-quarter as the Trail Blazers won their seven/eight matchup to advance to the playoffs proper.
Looking at this logically and head coach Ott likely felt that this game and matchup wasn’t for Williams. His inability to stop Deni Avdija from going off to the tune of 41 points clear for all to see.
Williams’ 22 minutes played was one less than Oso Ighodaro, and in some ways that is a positive for the Suns’ own former second round draft pick and his long-term prospects in The Valley.
But the Suns surely didn’t give up a pair of first round picks last summer to sit their big man when it really mattered, and if they did then that throws into question his ability to be out there in the playoffs (if Phoenix still manages to get there).
WHY DONT WE HAVE MARK IN @ValleyoftheSuns
— Cruzzz (@aCruzjr85) April 15, 2026
We’ve already examined what was thought to be the unlikely scenario of the organization allowing Williams to leave as a restricted free agent this offseason. Failure to get onto the court when it really mattered will only make chatter around his future increase.
Particularly when it is so obvious the Suns will be bringing Collin Gillespie back (as they should), with Williams eligible for an extension that has now become trickier to navigate.
The only scenario in which this problem goes away is if Williams has a big performance in the Suns’ second opportunity to make it to the playoffs, either against the L.A. Clippers (not going to be easy) or Golden State Warriors.
It is hard not to have a degree of sympathy for Williams here as well, with the Suns missing Grayson Allen for the game who usually does a wonderful job of spacing the court for his teammates.
Dominant as Williams has been for stretches of the season, and this was easily his best campaign as a pro, he remains a limited offensive player. Defensively a guy like Avdija, who gives up some size but remains physical and boasts a varied offensive game, can roast him.
Williams rightly wants to get paid this offseason, and the decision by coach Ott not to play him in a big moment will have done those talks no help at all when the time comes. A major concern.
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