PHOENIX — Mark Williams had surgery Thursday on a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The Phoenix Suns announced the procedure Friday and did not set a timetable for his return.
The Suns said Williams sustained the injury during an offseason workout. ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reported the surgery, said Williams will miss several months.
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 reported a length Friday.
“From what I am being told we should expect at least 5 months recovering from shoulder surgery,” Gambadoro wrote. That points to a mid-February return, after the All-Star Game that Phoenix hosts this season.
Phoenix opens training camp this month and plays its preseason opener Oct. 5 at Detroit, six days before Williams would have been due at his first camp under the new deal.
Mark Williams’ Contract And Injury History
Williams signed a fully guaranteed three-year, $38 million contract in July to stay in Phoenix. He was a restricted free agent who received a qualifying offer from the Suns.
Phoenix acquired Williams from the Charlotte Hornets on draft night in June 2025, four months after the Hornets agreed to send him to the Los Angeles Lakers at the February 2025 trade deadline in a deal that was rescinded.
Last season was the healthiest of his career. Williams played 60 games and started 55, both career highs, after a previous best of 44 games. He averaged 11.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 23.6 minutes and shot 64.4% from the field. In 166 career games, he has averaged 12.0 points and 8.5 rebounds.
A left foot injury sidelined him beginning in March. He was ruled out of Game 4 of the Western Conference first round against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Suns general manager Brian Gregory was asked about managing Williams’ workload at media day in September 2025.
“We’re going to be strategic,” Gregory said. “We’re going to be smart.”
Oso Ighodaro And Khaman Maluach At Center
Oso Ighodaro played all 82 games last season in his second year. He averaged 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists and shot 65.3% from the field. He handled the bulk of the center minutes during the play-in and playoff run with Williams out. The Portland Trail Blazers drafted him 40th overall in 2024 out of Marquette and traded him to Phoenix that night.
Khaman Maluach played 46 games as a rookie, averaging 3.0 points and 2.9 rebounds in 8.9 minutes while splitting the season between Phoenix and the Valley Suns of the NBA G League. The Houston Rockets drafted him 10th overall in 2025 out of Duke and traded him to the Suns on draft night.
Maluach’s first NBA start was on April 8 against the Dallas Mavericks, where he scored 4 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots in a 112-107 victory.
“Khaman stayed the course the entire year and just waited for his opportunity,” Suns guard Devin Booker said at the time.
Phoenix finished 45-37 but was swept by Oklahoma City in the first round. The Suns’ season begins at Portland on October 21, in a rematch of the play-in game that secured the seventh seed for the Trail Blazers.
