Suns have obvious solution to Mark Williams injury update

The Phoenix Suns have not even begun preseason play yet, and already they have been hit with the worst injury update they could have received outside of losing Devin Booker for any length of time. Starting center Mark Williams - the 23-year-old who has never managed more than 44 games in a single campaign - not going to take to the court for their first game versus the Los Angeles Lakers.

The way head coach Jordan Ott spoke about Williams to the media recently, he isn't looking likely to play during their upcoming trip to Macau in China for a pair of contests against the Brooklyn Nets. A devastating blow for a franchise who spent a pair of first round picks on him this offseason, in hopes he could cure their center woes of the last few years.

Rookie Khaman Maluach can step straight into starting berth.

Unlike in previous seasons however - when even Kevin Durant was being deployed as a backup five - the Suns now have a tool which had eluded them during their championship chasing era of Booker, Durant and Bradley Beal. To call it depth might be generous, but there is no doubt the organization is building out a roster that can absorb these inevitable injuries when they do happen.

This might seem like bad idea to put Maluach in from the jump - it could hamper the 19-year-old's confidence if it does not go well - and his Summer League showing did little to show fans that he is ready to play 30 minutes a night. He was as raw as expected offensively, although right away his massive frame was evident out there.

But Maluach came across extremely well at media day - joking around with those in attendance and looking comfortable on that stage - and that appears to have carried over to training camp. Some of his veteran teammates have raved about how vocal he has been on the defensive end, no small feat when you consider Maluach is sharing the court with a superstar in Booker, plus Dillon Brooks.

There have also been reports that Maluach has added some muscle, although at this time of year that has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Every player has seemingly lost weight or added muscle, and it is too early to tell if Maluach has made significant changes to his body. It will be important for him to get stronger as his career unfolds, but that doesn't need to have happened before preseason play.

This is an excellent opportunity for him to stake his claim as a starter even after Williams gets healthy again, because the reality is the former Charlotte Hornet is likely to miss time throughout the season as well. Nick Richards has suddenly become a nice insurance policy, but Maluach's chance to impress has arrived even earlier than he thought it would. Now he has to take it.