Phoenix Suns starting center Mark Williams is expected to be sidelined for 5 months.

The Phoenix Suns officially announced that their starting center, Mark Williams, suffered a left shoulder injury during offseason practice and underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

The team has not yet given Williams a definite timetable for his return, only stating that it will be determined after further evaluation. However, according to John Gambadoro, a senior sports journalist, the recovery period for a torn labrum in the shoulder is generally long, and Williams is expected to need at least 5 months of rest.

Based on this projection, Williams could resume training as early as mid-February 2027, and is expected to make his official comeback after the NBA All-Star Weekend.

Williams, 24, played 60 games as the starting center last season, but suffered a left foot injury just before the playoffs. He was injured again during training this offseason, forcing him to take a long break.

Faced with the long-term absence of their starting center, the Suns are currently taking a wait-and-see approach and will reorganize their interior rotation during the preseason training camp in two to three weeks.

Williams is expected to miss most of the first half of the regular season, and the Suns' focus will be on ensuring his left shoulder fully recovers so he can be in good shape for the second half of the season and the playoffs.

Image source: Internet/NBA official website