The Phoenix Suns have started the new NBA season 1-3 – and while losses were expected – it’s the way they’ve been defeated that has head coach Jordan Ott concerned. The team ranks second to last in defensive rating while giving up 123.7 points per game. Miles away from the second-worst team (Philadelphia 76ers, 119.9).
The only reason they aren’t at the bottom — where one person predicted they would be — is because the Brooklyn Nets have So much worse (131.2). At first glance, you might think this roster has the players who are competitive defensively every night – and it’s certainly an improvement from last year – but dig a little deeper and you’ll see that guys like Oso Ighodaro have failed to step up.
Mark Williams proves he can make a difference defensively.
Therefore, the addition of center Mark Williams – despite being seen as a risk at the time – appears to be paying off. The huge variable here is healthy, and it was concerning to see the 23-year-old sit out the first back-to-back of the season. It was encouraging to follow that up with 31 minutes off the bench in the overtime loss to the Utah Jazz – and vastly exceed expectations.
“Mark was unreal. Every second he was on the ground he influenced the game, on both sides.”
🗣️ Coach Ott about Mark Williams’ performance last night@MountainAmerica | #SunsUp pic.twitter.com/DDPVi0oCJi
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 28, 2025
Williams was considered by many to be one of the weaker rim protectors in the league before he was traded by the Charlotte Hornets, but so far he has provided some much-needed interior muscle and a desire to grab rebounds. Three games is a small sample size, but the 9.3 boards he’s gobbled up have been a welcome sight for a Suns group that ranks 15th in that category (43.5), thanks in large part to him.
The 25 points he put up against Utah were also a welcome sight – and while that’s not the reason why Phoenix brought him in – it does open up the possibility of an exciting two-man matchup with Devin Booker. He clearly needs all the help he can get right now, and having a center who can play against him would help the entire team immensely.
This may also go some way to explaining why coach Ott refuses to give rookie Khaman Maluach a chance to crack the right rotation. He has received a few DNPs and lost minutes to Nick Richards, while Ighodaro has continued to start at the five for reasons that are becoming less clear by the day.
Yes, trading two first-round picks to get him was steep, and you better believe Williams will miss more games this season. There is also the small matter of a contract extension, although this could explain his sudden commitment to the defensive end. But with the losses coming soon — at least for Williams — you can understand the front office’s view.
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