Right around the same time they drafted Khaman Maluach, the Suns agreed to acquire another Duke center, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports that the Hornets are sending Mark Williams to Phoenix in exchange for the 2025 No. 29 overall pick and a 2029 first-rounder.
Sources tell Charania that the 2029 first-round pick will be the least favorable of the selections controlled by Utah, Cleveland and Minnesota and is top-five-protected.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Vasilije Micic is also involved in the trade, as he’ll be sent back to Charlotte, which just traded him to Phoenix in February. Micic’s $8.1M team option for next season will have to be exercised for that to occur.
Williams, 23, was nearly traded to the Lakers at the February deadline, but Los Angeles wound up rescinding that deal due to concerns about his physical.
A 7-foot big man with an enormous 7-foot-7 wingspan, Williams was productive when healthy this past season for Charlotte, averaging 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 44 appearances (26.6 minutes per game). He shot 60.4% from the field and a career-best 80.4% from the foul line.
However, health has been a huge issue for Williams through three NBA seasons, having played a total of just 106 games. He also has been a negative defender, particularly when trying to switch onto smaller players on the perimeter.
It’s telling that Charlotte was so determined to move Williams despite his very real upside as a scorer and rebounder. The Hornets only won 19 games last season, but they were substantially worse when Williams was on the court (-12.7 net rating) compared to when he was off it (-7.7).
Obviously, Phoenix is betting that Williams and Maluach will be long-term answers in the middle. After trading away Deandre Ayton two years ago, the Suns have been lacking reliable play up front.
Interestingly, the Suns sent Josh Okogie and multiple second-round picks to Charlotte in January in order to acquire Nick Richards, whose $5M salary for 2025-26 is non-guaranteed. Adding Maluach and Williams might signal that Phoenix will opt to waive Richards — yet another center — instead of retaining him.
