Preseason Opens Thin at Center, Short on Headlines

Preseason slate set. Phoenix opens exhibition play Monday at the Pistons, then plays at the Bulls on October 7, before two meetings with San Antonio — one on ESPN2 on October 10, the other on the road October 14. The regular-season opener is October 21 at Portland, the first result that actually counts.

Reath's status. Duop Reath, who joined last month, is dealing with a right foot and leg issue and isn't expected back until around October 5 — the same day Phoenix opens exhibition play in Detroit. A clean return would give the center group a body it badly needs.

Williams still sidelined. Mark Williams, recovering from left shoulder and arm surgery since September 11, still hasn't gotten a firm timetable; the only figure on file is a February 3 placeholder. That leaves Maluach and Oso Ighodaro as the frontcourt options once camp turns into real games.

Minutes already shifting. Over their last three games last season with a teammate sidelined, Oso Ighodaro's playing time jumped by 12 minutes a game, and Jalen Green's climbed by 13 — both well past their season norms. The sample is tiny, but it previews how thin this bench gets once someone sits.

Late-season fade. Phoenix finished 45-37 last season with a barely positive net rating, but over its final 10 games it was outscored by 8.4 points a game — a sharper fade than the final record suggests, arriving right as the season ran out and the playoff chase failed.

Cost versus production. Devin Booker's extension runs through 2029-30, and this roster costs $216.2 million, above the first apron with the tax threshold at $200.4 million. That price tag for a team that missed the playoffs last year is the question this camp still has to answer before Portland.