The Phoenix Suns traded for Mark Williams on draft night, sending Vasilije Micić, the 29th pick, and a 2029 first-round pick to the Hornets. They needed a starting center and found one in Williams, but there's one big issue — injury history.
Williams won't play in Phoenix's first preseason game later this evening (Oct. 3). Ott said he doesn't think that the center will play in the Suns' two preseason games in China on Oct. 10 and 12, either. Phoenix will return to PHX Arena after that to play its final preseason game on Oct. 14 against the Lakers. That isn't a game that the team's starters will play in, so it doesn't seem like Williams will play in the preseason at all, even if he were available for that game.
Ott said that Williams has done everything except play live 5-on-5. Ott said the Suns are trying to "assess" where the center is at, and that the goal is for him to be "as ready as he can" at the end of camp. Whether he'll be available for the season-opener on Oct. 22 is still undetermined.
Ott and Gregory both said that Williams is on a good path, but it's hard not to be anxious about him not playing 5-on-5 yet.
Mark Williams likely won't play in the preseason for the Suns
Phoenix wanted Williams to build lower-body strength this offseason to help combat injuries, and he did so. Fans want to believe that he's in the best position he's been in health-wise since entering the league in 2022, but it's hard to know for sure until he takes the floor.
Williams is coming off a season in which he played 44 games, his career high. He played only 19 games during the 2023-24 season, and 43 as a rookie. He has struggled to stay healthy, a trend that fans worry will continue in Phoenix. It's why the Lakers rescinded their pre-deadline trade for him.
Nick Richards, who spent two seasons with Williams in Charlotte, said this will be one of the "best years" for Williams, "as far as playing in as many games as possible." He said he hopes that Williams will play in more than 70 games, a high mark for someone who barely hit the 41-game halfway mark.
At media day, Williams said he wants to "prove" his availability, saying that he wants to be on the court more.
The Suns haven't said anything negative about Williams' status, but only good things. Still, not playing five-on-five yet is concerning, with the start of the regular season less than three weeks away.
Hopefully, this is nothing more than Phoenix being cautious with its new starting center, as Ott and Gregory have said. Don't let it be a sign of what's to come.