Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets: preview and player stats (Jan 5, 2027)

Williams underwent surgery Thursday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder and will miss an extended period of time, Shams Charania of ESPN reports. This is a tough blow for the center with training camp right around the corner. With his status for Opening Night in jeopardy, this will put a lot of eyes on Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, with the latter already drawing buzz during the Summer League. More clarity on Williams' timeline should be known in the coming weeks.

The Suns claimed Timme off waivers Monday, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.com. After being let go by Minnesota on Saturday, Timme wasn't allowed to go through waivers unclaimed without Phoenix snatching him up. With Mark Williams (shoulder) likely out through the All-Star break, Timme helps reinforce Phoenix's depth at center.

Strawther (knee) was diagnosed with a left knee sprain Friday and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette reports. Strawther suffered the injury in Wednesday's preseason game against the Clippers. The 24-year-old has appeared in 172 regular-season games for the Nuggets since entering the league in 2023, averaging 7.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists over 16.2 minutes per contest. He was in line to compete for an expanded role during the 2026-27 campaign. While that may be the case once Strawther is cleared to suit up, Tyus Jones and potentially Ryan Nembhard are candidates to receive more minutes in the interim.