Isaac McKneely

Will the Suns re-sign Mark Williams as a restricted free agent this summer? Gerald Bourguet of Sports360AZ.com tackles that question in depth, writing that he can envision a scenario in which Phoenix’s starting center departs this offseason, especially if another team is willing to pay him in the range of $20-25MM annually.

However, if there’s not much of a market for Williams, it’s more likely he’ll either work out a new multiyear deal with the Suns or accept his one-year, $9.6MM qualifying offer and try his luck in unrestricted free agency in 2027.

[RELATED: 2026 NBA Offseason Preview: Phoenix Suns]

As Bourguet writes, the fact that 2025 lottery pick Khaman Maluach projects to be the Suns’ center of the future figures to factor into the front office’s decision on Williams. While Maluach may not be ready to start on opening night in 2026/27, one source told Bourguet they believe last year’s No. 10 overall pick could overtake Williams for that role by the end of next season. If the Suns feel the same way, they may only view Williams as a “temporary stopgap,” Bourguet notes.

We have more from around the Pacific:

• Houston guard Emanuel Sharp, Louisville guard Isaac McKneely, Grand Canyon forward Jaden Henley, Auburn forward Keyshawn Hall, Xavier forward Tre Carroll, and Duke center Maliq Brown are taking part in a pre-draft workout with the Kings on Friday, according to James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link). None of those prospects shows up within the top 70 players on ESPN’s big board.
• Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area takes a closer look at what the offseason might hold for Draymond Green, whose value around the NBA appears to be on the decline as he weighs a decision on a player option worth $27.7MM. Green seems more likely than not to stick with the Warriors, Poole writes, though it remains to be seen whether that means opting in or negotiating a new contract with the team.
• Keith Smith of Spotrac takes a look at some of the key decisions facing the Clippers this summer, including whether to trade or potentially extend star forward Kawhi Leonard and whether or not to re-sign potential restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin. Smith views $50MM over three years as a reasonable deal for Mathurin.