The Phoenix Suns made the injury news for center Alan Williams official Monday, announcing that he is expected to return to full basketball activities in approximately six months after undergoing a meniscus repair on his right knee.

If Williams’ timeline were to indeed be at six months, the Suns would have less than 10 games left on their schedule by his return in late March.

Williams went through restricted free agency this offseason before being re-signed by the team for $17 million over three years. The structure of his contract is notable for the length of his injury, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that the final two years of the deal are non-guaranteed.

Williams was not only one of the biggest surprises of the Suns’ season, but the NBA’s as well. Among bench players who played in at least 40 games, Williams led the league in rebounds per 36 minutes (14.9) and was top-20 in points (17.6).

His 15 double-doubles overall led the Suns and ranked third in the league off the bench.

His role grew exponentially on the team from a player originally signed to a 10-day contract who was known for his eccentric energy on the bench to a significant role player off the bench.

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