Why Mark Williams will The Suns’ MAKE-OR-BREAK Piece in 2025-26

Mark Williams is the Phoenix Suns’ new starting center, but the 23-year-old may also be their biggest make-or-break piece for the upcoming season! On the latest PHNX Suns Podcast, Gerald Bourguet and Stephen Pridgeon-Garner break down Williams’ game on the offensive and defensive end and give their reasons why he’s so important to the Suns’ short-term success due to his injury history and long-term success due to the fact that he’s in a contract year.

Charlotte Hornets beat writer James Plowright joins the show as well to give his perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of Mark Williams’ game on both ends of the floor. Finally, it may be time to circle back to the Point Book conversation now that it’s been reported that Jalen Green will be the Suns’ point guard instead of Devin Booker.

On the Mark Williams front, he’s a young player who matches the timeline shift the Suns have embarked on, while also a piece that addresses a position they desired to improve at — in their center room.

He certainly comes with flaws, as any 23-year-old does, most pertinently his health and availability.

That taken into consideration, if he can sustain there, he will be in the best situation team-wise that he’s seen as a professional.

Having primary creators the likes of Devin Booker and Jalen Green, in addition to the spacing he’ll be operating in and the prospective system Ott will be establishing, the Phoenix Suns context should complement his strengths and have depths of insulation to his weaknesses.

Can Jordan Ott find ways to creatively feature him on both ends of the floor to ultimately get the most out of him, as well as expedite the skill development side of Williams’ production?

Additionally, there have been new reports of the Suns having made “concrete offers,” in potential sign-and-trade scenarios.

Should the Suns continue on with the pursuit of adding yet another young, athletic project piece? Does Jonathan Kuminga align with what the Suns are working towards? Does the timing make sense? Relative to the new salary cap situation the Suns have worked themselves into, will the ramifications be?

Kuminga is a player who has had many ups and downs with the Warriors organization regarding coaches desiring more from the promising young wing, outside of solely creation with the ball in his hands offensively.

Imagining him in a Suns context, it won’t be as hyper-focused around an all-time great like Stephen Curry and the demands that places on the piecse that share the floor with him, however, he would certainly need to get comfortable off-ball in ways that have yet to sustain for him, as Devin Booker and Jalen Green will inevitably shoulder the lionshare of on-ball usage.

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Why Mark Williams will be a MAKE-OR-BREAK Piece for the Suns

• 0:00 – Intro

• 2:40 – James Plowright Joins the Show to Talk Mark Williams!

• 6:25 – The Durability…

• 9:40 – The Offense

• 19:30 – The Defense

• 37:30 – Putting a Bow on the Mark Williams Conversation

• 52:00 – Lets Talk Jonathan Kuminga