Suns are nearing a deal to re-sign center Mark Williams to a three-year, $38 million contract

Phoenix is finalizing the return of 7-foot-1 center Mark Williams, according to an AP source, keeping a young big man in place after his 2025 trade from Charlotte.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a contract to bring back center Mark Williams, with an AP source saying the agreement is worth $38 million over three years. The news matters because it locks in a key frontcourt piece for a team built around controlling the paint and protecting the rim through its size and physicality. Williams, 24, becomes a centerpiece of the Suns’ offseason plans as a returning player after last season. Per the report, he averaged 11.7 points and grabbed eight rebounds per game, production that gives Phoenix a young, low-post presence as it looks to keep its rotation stable heading into the next regular season. The 7-foot-1 big man originally spent his first three NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Suns in a draft-day deal in 2025. That sequence sets up a quick turnaround storyline for Williams, who has now been in Phoenix long enough to show he can produce at the NBA level in meaningful regular-season minutes. Phoenix’s interest in re-signing Williams also indicates that the Suns view him as more than a short-term roster addition. In the league’s restricted free-agent process, teams often face a choice between matching outside offers and moving on, and the reported deal suggests Phoenix is prioritizing keeping its own asset rather than testing the open market. From a roster-construction standpoint, a center of Williams’ listed height is the type of player who can affect the game in the ways coaches value even when the box score is not fully descriptive. His size gives the Suns potential advantages on rebounds and inside scoring, and re-signing him helps preserve continuity in the frontcourt rotation as Phoenix moves through the rest of its offseason. There is still a practical caveat: until an official team announcement is released, the agreement is best understood as an AP-sourced finalization rather than a confirmed, public contract filing. Even so, the timing and the reported three-year term indicate Phoenix is prepared to commit to a defined role for Williams through at least the next few seasons.

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Why It Matters

A three-year commitment gives Phoenix roster stability in the frontcourt during a crucial offseason.
Re-signing Williams maintains a young big-man option after his reported last-season production.
The deal reduces uncertainty in the Suns’ center rotation as they plan the next regular-season build.
Keeping Williams under contract can help Phoenix maintain continuity after his 2025 trade from Charlotte.

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Key Facts

The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a deal to re-sign center Mark Williams.
The reported contract value is $38 million over three years.
Williams averaged 11.7 points and eight rebounds per game last season.
Williams is listed at 7-foot-1 and is 24 years old.
He spent his first three NBA seasons with the Charlotte Hornets before a 2025 draft-day trade to Phoenix.