'I’ll be playing opening night.' Suns' Mark Williams good with ramp-up plan

PALM DESERT – This is all new to Mark Williams, but he understands it and is all good with how the Phoenix Suns are gearing him up for his first year with them.

Taking his injury history into account, the Suns have him on an intentional plan.

He didn’t play in Friday’s 103-81 preseason win here Friday, Oct. 3, over the Los Angeles Lakers at Acrisure Arena.

“This is a little bit different, but I think it’s just more precautionary, just trying to prepare myself for the season like they’ve said,” Williams said before the Oct. 3 game. “It’s definitely new territory for me. … It’s definitely different not playing preseason, but it’s been good.”

Williams has participated in everything in training camp except live 5-on-5. The 7-footer got in a pregame workout against the coaches before Friday’s game.

“Weight room, everything with the team, install plays, defensive drills, all that,” he said. “I’m in a good place. They have a plan in place for me to be ready for opening night. Just doing everything in my power to be able to endure a full season so I’m excited for that.”

Phoenix opens its 2025-26 regular season Oct. 22 against Sacramento Kings at Mortgage Matchup Center.

“Since July 1, he’s been in here more than anyone else, developing his strength,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said Oct. 1. “I think he’s more than doubled his lower body strength in that time period. He does everything in practice that we ask except live 5-on-5 at this point.”

Williams said he isn’t sure when he’ll start playing 5-on-5 in practice, but the focus is certainly on having him ready Oct. 22.

“I’ll be playing opening night,” Williams said. “I’ll be ready for that.”

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Williams is entering the final year of his four-year, $18 million contract he signed with the Charlotte Hornets after being taken 15th overall out of Duke in the 2022 NBA Draft.

“For me, it’s taking advantage of every opportunity out on the court and letting everything take care of itself,” Williams said. “They traded two first-round picks for me. I’ve talked to everyone from the top down.”

Up for an extension, Williams will be a restricted free agent after this eason.

“The one thing we have to remember about Mark, he’s 23 years old,” Suns general manager Brian Gregory said on the team’s media day last month. “He’s got a bright future here in Phoenix. When it comes to moving him forward, we’re going to be strategic, we’re going to be smart, but he’s in a good place right now.”

Williams has battled injuries ranging from his foot, back, knee, ankle and thumb in his first three NBA seasons, playing just 106 games. The Suns traded Vasa Micic and two first-round picks to the Hornets for Williams and a second-round selection on Day 1 of the 2025 draft.

When healthy, he’s been productive. Williams averaged a career-high 15.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in 44 games (41 starts) last season.

Fellow Suns big Nick Richards said the hope is for Williams to play “more than 70 games” this season.

“He’s excited for the season,” Richards said about Williams as they were teammates in Charlotte for two full seasons (2022-24). “He’s excited for the year to start. It’s probably going to be one of his best years as far as playing in as many games as possible.”

Williams may very well not see any action in Phoenix’s three remaining preseason games.

The Suns face the Brooklyn Nets twice, Oct 10 and Oct. 12, in China.

If Williams doesn’t play in either of those games, he’ll most likely miss the final preseason game Oct. 14 against the Lakers at home.

The Suns will be coming off a 17-hour flight Oct. 13 from China back to Phoenix.

When asked if Williams will play in one of the four preseason games, Ott said, “We’re trying to assess exactly where he is. The goal is there at the end of camp get him as ready as he can. He’s on a good path.”

Williams has certainly noticed improvement in his lower-body strength.

“Just getting on the rim, backing somebody down,” he said. “I can feel the difference in my body. Feel like I’m moving better, more mobile, getting a little lower.”

A healthy year out of Williams could take the Suns from being a lottery team next year to a possible playoff contender this season.

“Sometimes you’re out of market, doing a bunch of different things, but when I got traded here, I think it was a chance for me to reset,” he said.

Williams did take a vacation, but it’s been all work since July 1.

“When I got (to Phoenix), it was time to lock in,” he continued. “… I’m just excited for opening night.”

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns’ center Williams says he’ll be ready to play opening night

‘I’ll be playing opening night.’ Suns’ Mark Williams good with ramp-up plan

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