When the Phoenix Suns stepped up to trade for then Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams, after a trade that would have sent the big man to the Los Angeles Lakers fell through over a reportedly failed physical exam, the hope was that the team found its center of the future.
After several (mostly frustrating) years with Deandre Ayton manning the center spot — he’s now causing head coach JJ Redick headaches in LA — the athleticism and upside of Williams was worth getting excited for. But Williams being tied to the bench in crunch time of the Suns’ play-in tournament game against the Portland Trail Blazers is difficult to compartmentalize.
Williams started the play-in game but played just 22 minutes against Portland. He scored four points on three total field goal attempts. He did add four rebounds, three blocks and two assists to the box score, but ultimately finished with a -2 box plus/minus and was pinned to the bench in the closing minutes of a game Phoenix would lose 114-110.
The Suns were very careful with Williams throughout his first season in The Valley. Though the 24-year-old set career highs for games played (60) and minutes (1,416), his minutes-per-game allotment under first-year head coach Jordan Ott was less than it was during his time in Charlotte by roughly three minutes per game when compared to the previous two seasons.
Williams frequently sat out to rest in the second game of back-to-backs on the schedule and missed almost the entirety of March due to a stress reaction in his foot.
It’s entirely possible the Suns are still trying to ease Williams back after missing so much time, but given what Phoenix gave up to acquire him, it’s a tough look to see him on the bench with the game on the line.
Mark Williams benched in crunch time of play-in game vs Trail Blazers
It’s interesting that Williams wasn’t on the court in the game’s closing minutes, provided how well Phoenix played when he was in the lineup earlier in the game.
According to NBA.com data, the starting lineup of Williams, Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Jordan Goodwin played 19 minutes together and had a net rating of +16.5 points on a 100-possessions basis.
Williams, who hasn’t been great as a rim protector this season, had those aforementioned three blocked shots and did a good job deterring Trail Blazers players from entering the paint.
That would have been nice to have in the closing minutes when Portland star Deni Avdija continued to find his way into the painted area where he poured in the bulk of his season-high 41 points.
With the Suns playing small, Avdija did what he does best by getting into the painted area, drawing a game-altering sixth personal foul on Brooks for an and-1 opportunity.
Provided the Suns traded the No. 29 overall pick in the 2025 draft (Liam McNeeley was the selection) and a 2029 first-rounder to get Williams, it’s hard to stomach the big man not being a bigger piece to the puzzle in the postseason atmosphere — especially considering his free throw shooting is not anywhere close to as much of a liability as backup Oso Ighodaro’s.
The Suns will be back at it on Friday, April 17, to play the winner of the play-in matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors. If Williams is again on the bench in the fourth quarter and the game isn’t a blowout, it may be a hint that the injury-prone center isn’t going to be an offseason priority for Phoenix's front office when he hits restricted free agency.
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