The Phoenix Suns were rocked Friday by the news that Mark Williams had surgery for a torn labrum on his left shoulder that will sideline him indefinitely. The timing is made even worse by the franchise's inability to add another big to its roster.
Suns have no space to sign big (there are few good options anyway)
In recent seasons, the Suns have kept their 15th roster spot open for potential free agents or guys who become available down the road. Not this offseason, however, with Haywood Highsmith being let go and subsequently brought back.
The decision to add another forward to the roster now looks even worse because Phoenix does not have the option to go out and sign another center to replace Williams outright. Not that they had the money to do so anyway. To make matters worse, the market is currently dry for serviceable big men this late in the offseason as well. It is why the Miami Heat talked themselves into a Suns reject in Nick Richards.
Williams was brought back on a three-year, $38 million extension this summer precisely because there were no other viable options out there, and they gambled on his ability to stay healthy.
That has backfired before a game has even been played, leaving them stuck with the inexperienced duo of Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach to hold down the fort for what is likely to be most of the season.
Ighodaro was the Suns' most improved player in the second half of last season, and he has found his spot in the rotation. But it is not as a starter. Maluach is already the franchise's third most valuable trade asset due to his immense potential. Still, they are both inexperienced.
Suns sure to regress as center depth exposed
The Suns built a veteran-heavy roster designed to build on the 45 games won last season, but that won't be happening now. There is no way, outside of trading a player that they don't want to, that they could bring back a starting-caliber five in any trade.
Domantas Sabonis sounds great in theory, but unless it involves unloading Jalen Green and a pick plus perhaps a young player (Ryan Dunn, anybody?), that is a pipe dream.
Phoenix will enter training camp light in the middle, and they won't be able to fix this glaring hole in their rotation for quite some time. For now, it will be on the youngsters to step up.
Add us as a preferred source on Google