It looks like the Phoenix Suns have their first injury of the season just weeks before the start of training camp. Starting center Mark Williams suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder and is slated to miss “an extended period of time,” according to ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania.
In a statement from the Suns, Williams underwent successful surgery on Thursday and a timetable will be set at a later time.
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Williams, 24 is coming off the healthiest season of his four-year career playing in 60 games and starting in 55 contests. He missed all of the team’s playoff run after suffering a foot injury against the Portland Trailblazers in the Western Conference 7/8 play-in game. This offseason, the team inked him to a three-year $38 million contract this offseason after averaging 12 points, eight rebounds and a block per game in his first year in Phoenix.
The injury came from an offseason workout and does not appear to have any connection to the various injuries he suffered last year. Since being drafted in the first round by the Charlotte Hornets in 2022, he’s appeared in 166 of 328 possible regular-season games, 51% of all total contests.
With the Suns’ regular season starting in a little over a month, if Williams is out for the beginning of it, expect second-year forward to start in his place, and third-year big Oso Ighodaro’s minutes to also increase.
Coming off a dominant Summer League where he averaged 20 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks per game and was part of the All-Summer League team, Maluach is primed for a larger role this season and is considered by many the prospect with the highest potential on the team.
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Before Williams’ injury, there was also discourse about Maluach’s role increasing this season and the team’s latest injury will likely only increase it.
The Suns’ training camp starts on September 29th and will likely be without one of their main starters from a season ago.
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