Despite beginning his fourth season in the NBA, Mark Williams started his stint with the Phoenix Suns in a role he has not played since his rookie campaign.
Bench player.
Backing up Mason Plumlee on that 2022-23 Charlotte Hornets squad, Williams’s substitute appearances to start 2025-26 have been used as a way to manage his minutes after a preseason sidelined by injury.
After three games, he made his first start in Purple and Orange on Wednesday night at Mortgage Matchup Center. Despite the 114-113 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Williams’s 20 points and 12 rebounds over 28 minutes showed promise to what his consistent production could look like.
“We’re asking him to move up on pick and roll coverage defensively,” Ott told reporters postgame. “We were changing things up for [Ja] Morant tonight, and [Williams] was able to do it … I think there were multiple things there that we can be happy about where Mark is at … He’s set a new standard.”
Mark Williams Regains Starting Position For Injury-Ridden Suns
Williams’ start to the 2025-26 season
Williams’ first appearance in the starting five was not much of a surprise for Suns fans. He played 24 minutes, picking up six points and 11 rebounds in their opening win against the Sacramento Kings. Battling stout defenses and a right knee injury, he only played 14 minutes in a two-point performance against the LA Clippers before missing their clash against the Denver Nuggets the day after.
However, Williams blossomed against the Utah Jazz. Starring for 31 minutes in the 138-134 overtime loss, he logged 25 points and 11 rebounds, going 9-for-14 from field goal attempts and 7-for-9 on free throws.
“I’ll just let the staff do what they can,” Williams told reporters at pregame shootaround. “Just continue to let the plan be the plan and go from there. Whenever I’m in the game, just attack.”
The current Suns’ center room
Because multiple forwards could slide in as Williams’ replacement, the Suns’ center position has revolved around multiple candidates. Oso Ighodaro started in place of him during the first four games, but never played more than 24 minutes. Nick Richards has also featured, mostly through sparky 10 minutes or less stints, that lead to points off transition.
The biggest question mark surrounding the position may not be from Williams, but from 11th overall draft pick Khaman Maluach. Picked up from the Kevin Durant trade in July, the former Duke Blue Devil started preseason play as one of the team’s defensive anchors. But his production has recently faded, missing Wednesday night’s contest against the Grizzlies. In fact, Maluach has yet to make his home debut for the Suns, only appearing in road losses to the Clippers and Nuggets.
Luckily, the four-year veteran Williams hopes to bring fluidity to not just his role, but to the team’s passing sequences.
“The more I’m out there, the more my teammates will get used to where I am on the floor, and where I like to score,” Williams told reporters postgame. “Them finding their lanes so we can go down there and shoot the ball. But I think with every game, it will continue to improve.”
Injuries ravaging the team
As Williams nears his return to full health, the rest of Phoenix’s lineup has struggled with injuries. Four players were ruled out, including starters Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, for Wednesday night’s contest. Brooks missed his second consecutive game with right groin soreness. Green, who started every regular season game for the Houston Rockets last season, has yet to make his Suns debut.
Their omissions have led to multiple second-team players stepping up, including Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen, who combined for 32 points in replacement. Collin Gillespie shined as the de facto sixth man, with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists over 31 minutes played.
Granted, the shorthanded Suns have battled throughout the season’s infancy. Erasing a 20-point deficit against the Kings, they forced overtime against the Jazz on Monday night before clawing back from an eight-point fourth quarter deficit against the Grizzlies two days later.
Devin Booker, who had 29 second-half points in the latter, has taken responsibility for being the team’s scoring leader. But he and his teammates need their starters, like Williams, back in order to win these tight battles.
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