The Phoenix Suns probably saw their acquisition of Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets as a low-risk, high-reward move. What they may have failed to think through, though, is that Williams could soon become a financial headache for the organization.
Phoenix must have thought the assets it shipped in the Williams trade (the No. 29 pick in this year's draft, a 2029 draft selection that will presumably land late in the first round, and Vasilije Micic) were worth giving up for the big man. It likely did not foresee that the potential steal of the draft, Liam McNeeley, would still be available at the 29th slot, and that the Hornets would be shrewd enough to turn Micic into Pat Connaughton and two future second-rounders later in the summer.
However, even if the Suns won't end up missing the pieces they sent to Charlotte, they could face a dilemma soon enough, as Williams is already eligible for a contract extension. It's unclear how big a salary he will eventually ask, but it's safe to say that he will be seeking starting center money. Given that Jakob Poeltl re-signed with the Toronto Raptors for four years and $104 million, the former Hornet could seek a similar deal.
Is he worth that much? As Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon of the Game Theory podcast noted in a recent episode of the show, Williams may be one of the most productive per-game bigs in the league, but he has been too injury-prone, appearing in just 35.3 contests per season in three years in Charlotte.
Also, even when he was healthy, he was usually a liability on defense despite his height and length. Williams suffered from a lack of mobility and IQ, and his rim-running and rebounding proficiencies were probably not enough to compensate for his defensive deficiencies.
The 23-year-old's struggles in protecting the paint and staying on the floor could have the Suns hesitating to commit a hefty sum for several years. It could limit the squad's roster flexibility and have it stuck with an untradable contract.
Perhaps their front office is considering giving him up in restricted free agency next year. However, that might seem like a foolish act because in such a scenario, it would have given up a couple of first-round selections for technically nothing.
Hornets dodged a Mark Williams bullet
A disaster could be waiting for Phoenix. On the other hand, Williams could silence his detractors by being available and addressing his shortcomings. To be fair to the oft-criticized pivot, he had displayed the capacity to be a star during his brief tenure in Charlotte. Some Hornets fans are even rooting for him to turn his career around.
That does not change the notion, though, that having him on the roster and paying him north of $25 million per year could be too risky for any team. Fortunately for Charlotte, it was able to avoid such peril.
Sure, Buzz City seemingly has a massive hole at center for now. The good news is that it has the resources to look for reinforcements sometime in the future, a convenience it might not have had if it didn't send Williams to Phoenix this offseason.