{"id":15597,"date":"2025-06-26T06:34:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T06:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/15597\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T06:34:08","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T06:34:08","slug":"phoenix-suns-mark-williams-trade-blasted-by-espns-stephen-a-smith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/15597\/","title":{"rendered":"Phoenix Suns’ Mark Williams trade blasted by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"play\"<\/p>\n

Cooper Flagg selected No. 1 by the Dallas Mavericks<\/p>\n

Bryan Kalbrosky talks about the highly anticipated prospect in the NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg, and what he brings to the game.<\/p>\n

Sports Pulse<\/p>\n

The Phoenix Suns<\/a> excited some of their fan base during the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25<\/a> with the selection of center Khaman Maluach out of Duke<\/a> with the No. 10 overall pick<\/a> in the first round and the acquisition of center Mark Williams<\/a> from the Charlotte Hornets<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But one NBA analyst was not impressed.<\/p>\n

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith slammed the team during ABC’s 2025 NBA Draft coverage.<\/p>\n

“Respectfully, what on earth are the Phoenix Suns doing, giving up a first round pick in 2029 for Mark Williams?” Smith said. “This is the same dude that the Lakers were looking to acquire that supposedly failed a physical.<\/p>\n

“We don’t know all the details about that, but here’s the bottom line. If you are the Phoenix Suns, one of the reasons you made the deal to move Kevin Durant was to acquire assets. You’re trying to hold on to them. Why would you give them away for Mark Williams? Four years from now! Why?”<\/p>\n

Mark Williams trade grades: <\/strong>Phoenix Suns slammed for giving too much to Charlotte Hornets<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Stephen A. Smith, Bob Myers criticize Suns’ trade for Mark Williams<\/p>\n

The Suns traded the No. 29 pick<\/a> in the 2025 NBA Draft and a first-round pick in 2029 for Williams, who has a history of injuries, including having a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers rescinded last season because of a failed physical.<\/p>\n

Former NBA GM Bob Myers was also critical of the Suns’ trade on the ABC broadcast.<\/p>\n

“They just in a matter of ten minutes added two centers to their roster that play the same position ,” Myers said. “And look, I like centers. I’m not trying to be critical of them. Centers are the most likely players to be played off the floor. … So you’ve got to be real careful overvaluing some of these guys. They just added two of them in the last two minutes.”<\/p>\n

To that, Smith replied: “And you don’t give up a first-round pick if you are Phoenix. No! No! No!”<\/p>\n

The Suns actually gave up two first-round picks for Williams, with the 2029 pick being the least favorable of Cleveland, Utah and Minnesota’s, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But Smith and Myers made their point.<\/p>\n

Khaman Maluach NBA Draft grades 2025: <\/strong>Did Phoenix Suns ace No. 10 pick?<\/a><\/p>\n

Reach Jeremy Cluff\u00a0at\u00a0jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com<\/a>.\u00a0Follow him on X, formerly Twitter\u00a0@Jeremy_Cluff.<\/a><\/p>\n

Support local journalism: Subscribe to\u00a0azcentral.com<\/a>\u00a0today.<\/p>\n