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Suns Center Mark Williams Sidelined for Months Following Shoulder Surgery
Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams is expected to miss several months after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder.
By the EagleEyeOdds desk, 25 min ago
Big Blow for Phoenix Frontcourt
The Phoenix Suns received tough news regarding their frontcourt. Starting center Mark Williams underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The franchise announced the news on Friday, confirming that the big man will miss several months of action.
The 24 year old center suffered the injury during a recent offseason workout. The timing is unfortunate for both the player and the team. Williams recently signed a fully guaranteed three year contract worth 38 million dollars to stay with the Suns in free agency.
A Strong Contributor Sidelined
Williams was entering the new season after the healthiest stretch of his four year NBA career. He appeared in 60 games last season, which surpassed his previous career high of 44 appearances. During those games, he averaged 11.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 0.9 blocks while playing 23.6 minutes per game.
The 7 foot 1 center has career averages of 12 points, 8.5 rebounds and one block per game. He originally arrived in Phoenix through a 2025 draft night trade with the Charlotte Hornets. That deal came after a previous attempt by Charlotte to trade him was rescinded near that year's trade deadline. Williams quickly took over the starting center job and helped Phoenix exceed expectations to earn a playoff spot.
How the Suns Will Adjust
With Williams sidelined for the next few months, the Suns must find a way to replace his production. The coaching staff will likely lean on Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach to play the bulk of the minutes at the center position this season.
Losing a starting center for a significant period is a difficult obstacle for Phoenix. The team will need their remaining big men to establish themselves quickly in the rotation to keep the frontcourt steady while Williams recovers.
