The Phoenix Suns officially began training camp Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the team’s practice facility, but it was more of a continuation.
“Just like any other day, we’ve been working all summer,” Suns guard Jalen Green said. “A lot of installs, mind day, lock in, understand how we want to approach this season.”
The Suns continue training camp Sept. 30, less than a month away from opening the regular season Oct. 21 on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Great energy, guys are picking it up pretty fast,” Suns forward Dillon Brooks said. “We’re going slow to get the basics, but the energy is high and the focus is good.”
Starting center Mark Williams is the only player who didn’t participate in camp Tuesday. He’ll be sidelined for several months
with a left shoulder injury.
“We just tried to get back to basics, install a lot of stuff,” Suns head coach Jordan Ott said after practice. “There was no play today. Everyone was out there, except of course, Mark.
"We got through a lot of stuff that we needed to get through so we can play later in the week and we can coach them on the things installed.”
Mark Williams (shoulder) on the bike. #Suns pic.twitter.com/99t7zeZGOJ
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 29, 2026
Williams averaged 11.7 points and eight rebounds in a career-high 60 games (55 starts) last season in his first year in Phoenix. He suffered a torn labrum during an offseason workout and underwent surgery Sept. 10.
The 7-footer was riding the bike after practice during media viewing.
“He's already starting his rehab,” Suns general manager Brian Gregory said during the team’s media day Sept. 28. “It'll be several months before we're able to get a good read on return to play, but the one thing I know about Mark, he's in there morning, noon, and night right now.
"He's going to do everything he can to get back as fast as he can, as healthy as he can, to help impact the team this year.”
Ott said the Suns will have everyone available outside of Williams for 5-on-5 during camp. He said they’ll have NBA officials there Wednesday, which usually is an indicator a team is going to have some up-and-down court work.
Suns add Wheeler, reach camp limit
The Suns reached the NBA-limit 21 players on their training camp roster with the addition of guard Phillip Wheeler.
NBA teams must whittle their rosters to 15 standard players and three two-way players by 2 p.m. MST on Oct. 19.
Wheeler, 24, has played a total of five NBA games, all with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2024-25 season. He averaged just 1.6 points in those games.
A 6-foot-8-inch forward, Wheeler averaged 13.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in four games with the NBA G League United team that played in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Beijing this month.
“Just another young guy that, you know, he's played, which helps,” Ott said. “Good size, be another guy that we'll ask to do all the possession stuff and then he can fit right in. He can fit right into our group. Came through in September. It’s helpful to see a familiar face.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns make move to hit roster limit, report Mark Williams injury update
