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Valley Heat Check · Week ahead

Suns' Preseason Slate: Bulls, Spurs Twice, Then Jazz

Four preseason games separate Phoenix from its Oct. 21 opener in Portland, starting with Chicago on the road Oct. 7.

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By the Suns Nightly Desk · Tuesday, October 6

Phoenix heads to Chicago for preseason game two on Oct. 7, then hosts San Antonio on ESPN2 before a return trip to face the same Spurs and a home date with Utah. Mark Williams remains out with a left shoulder issue as the Suns stay 0-0 ahead of the regular season.

Suns Nightly artwork
Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Bulls up next. Phoenix plays at Chicago on Oct. 7, a preseason game against a team also sitting 0-0. Tiago Splitter coaches the Bulls, who finished 31-51 last season with a minus-5.3 net rating and a 103.2 pace.

Giddey, Powell carry Chicago. Josh Giddey averaged 17.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists last season, and Norman Powell scored 21.7 points a game. Matas Buzelis added 16.3 points across 77 games as Chicago's returning scoring trio.

Two Bulls day-to-day. Zach Collins is day-to-day with a right toe and leg issue, and Nic Claxton is day-to-day with a hamstring problem. Their availability for the Oct. 7 game has not been settled.

No rest between stops. Phoenix had no days off before facing Detroit and gets none before Chicago either, playing zero games in the previous seven days and moving straight into a second consecutive true road game.

Spurs twice in a week. San Antonio visits the Valley on Oct. 10, broadcast on ESPN2, then the Suns travel back to face the Spurs again on Oct. 14, the same opponent twice within four days.

Jazz close the preseason. Utah comes to Phoenix on Oct. 16 for the preseason finale before the regular season opens Oct. 21 at Portland, a stretch that will help settle who sticks in the rotation.

Williams still sidelined. Mark Williams remains out with a left shoulder and arm injury, not expected back until Feb. 3, 2027. The center spot stays open through this preseason stretch and into the regular season.

On deck Phoenix plays at Chicago Oct. 7, hosts San Antonio on ESPN2 Oct. 10, travels back to the Spurs Oct. 14, and closes the preseason at home against Utah on Oct. 16 before the regular-season opener Oct. 21 at Portland.
When do the Suns play next?

Phoenix plays at the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 7 in preseason action, followed by two games against San Antonio and one against Utah before the regular season opens.

Is Mark Williams playing for the Suns?

No. Williams remains out with a left shoulder and arm injury, with a return not expected until Feb. 3, 2027.

By the Suns Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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