Suns Get Promising Grade For Mark Williams Trade

The Phoenix Suns have a new center in Mark Williams after acquiring him in a draft night trade.

Williams was taken with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but failed to live up to the hype with the Charlotte Hornets.

CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn graded the trade, giving the Suns a "B+" for the move.

"Offensively, Williams is already highly developed and reasonably versatile," Quinn wrote.

"He'll be a great pick-and-roll partner for Devin Booker and Jalen Green, a capable lob threat who can also create his own looks with the ball in his hands. He's a stellar offensive rebounder as well, pretty important for a Suns team that ranked 26th in offensive rebounding a season ago. The upside here is considerable. He has flashed serious potential on defense, but there are major questions on that end of the floor.

Williams averaged 15.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season with the Hornets, but only made 44 appearances with the team due to injury.

The trade's success will be dependent on how available Williams becomes with the Suns. If he can find a way to stay healthy, the Suns have a great trade on their hands. If not, the Suns will be further implicated by poor decisions that have plagued them and their future.

The goal is for Williams to be the center of the future for the Suns, and with one year left on his contract before hitting restricted free agency, he can strike a new deal in the coming months.

If he signs a new deal, that will also help increase the value of the trade.

The Suns will participate in the second round of the draft as they currently hold the No. 52 overall pick. Coverage of the second round begins at 5 p.m. PT on ESPN.