Mark Williams Injury Opens the Door for Khaman Maluach in Phoenix
Williams put up 27.1 fantasy points per game last season. With Phoenix cap-strapped, the rookie Maluach gets first crack at the five.
Rookie big steps into starting minutes with Williams sidelined.
- Williams: 27.1 FPTS/G last season (2025-26)
- Maluach up +8 FPTS over last 5 games
- Suns carry $23.2M in dead cap
- Only $1.7M under the second apron, hard-capped
- Huntley can play up to 50 games as a two-way
Mark Williams is out, and Phoenix isn't about to panic its way into a signing. The center — our #120 overall and #23 among bigs last season (2025-26) — averaged 11.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 27.1 fantasy points per game across 60 games. That's the kind of production you don't replace off the scrap heap, so the Suns are choosing not to try, at least not yet.
The math is unforgiving. Phoenix is carrying $23.2 million in dead cap and sits just $1.7 million below the hard-capped second apron. There's no easy path to buying a real center, which means the developmental timeline just got fast-forwarded for rookie Khaman Maluach and third-year big Oso Ighodaro.
Why Maluach Gets the Nod
Maluach ranked #381 overall (#56 at center) last season, posting a modest 3.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 8.5 fantasy points per game over 46 games. But the arrow's pointing up — he's averaged +8 fantasy points over his last five games versus his season line. With Williams shelved, the starting job is his to lose, and Ighodaro handles the backup role. Behind them, the cupboard is thin: Rasheer Fleming could log small-ball five minutes, and two-way big CJ Huntley (6.2 fantasy points per game in four appearances last season) is available for up to 50 games.
That 50-game two-way cap is the sneaky detail. Lean on Huntley in spot duty and foul-trouble situations, and it stretches right to the All-Star break — conveniently close to where Williams' return timeline lands.
The Free-Agent Trap
The open center market is grim. Familiar names like Bismack Biyombo, Mason Plumlee and Drew Eubanks are floating around, but recycling old ideas isn't a plan. Xavier Tillman offers real rim protection but stands just 6-foot-8, at which point you might as well test Fleming at the five. If Phoenix truly wants to shop, waiving Jamaree Bouyea before his $2.6 million guarantees on January 10, 2027 would open roughly $4.3 million — but that decision can wait until January.
Fantasy managers: this is a clean ADD on Maluach in deeper leagues. The minutes and usage are landing in his lap, and his recent five-game surge suggests he's ready to punch above that 8.5 fantasy points per game baseline from last season. Ighodaro is a stash-and-monitor. Huntley and Bouyea stay on the wire unless injuries pile up. And if you rostered Williams, hold — his return timeline points toward roughly the All-Star break, so he's a stash, not a drop.
