Suns draft Khaman Maluach with the 10th pick

[Yuma]

If he gets close to 10/10, and adds a couple blocks, some solid passing, and maybe a steal/deflection... i would be pretty stoked.

That's my idea of a great rookie year. He doesn't have to be a triple double machine for us. 10/10 a couple blocks and solid defense. That would be awesome! Plus this kid has room to add weight on that frame. Already he's communicating and trying to lead the defense. Something we had to try and develop in Ayton. I would say Maluach has a good foundation he's been taught so far. Now it's just learning the NBA game and building up his body, while honing his skills.

 

[Yuma]

You can't coach length

One of my favorite old school sayings. Have there been tall bust players. Yeah. But when there's tall good players, watch out!

 

[leclerc]

Don't know about you but I'm excited about next season. Scoring punch from twin SGs Book and Green. Rejuvenated Booker? Energy and edge from Dunn, Brooks, possible development from Oso, Gillespie, new rooks Maluach, Fleming, even Brea. Returning player Michael Jordan Goodwin. New coach and system. Go fracking Suns.

 

[Adrian]

Suns' Khaman Maluach named summer league disappointment by NBA analyst

Khaman Maluach debuted with the Suns in summer league, averaging 10 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 35.7% shooting in three games.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[ProdigalSun]

Suns' Khaman Maluach named summer league disappointment by NBA analyst

Khaman Maluach debuted with the Suns in summer league, averaging 10 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 35.7% shooting in three games.

sports.yahoo.com

Good thing careers are neither made or destroyed by summer league. Hopefully with better guard and team play he can turn the narrative around…

 

[JCSunsfan]

Good thing careers are neither made or destroyed by summer league. Hopefully with better guard and team play he can turn the narrative around…

He took a lot of corner threes, trying to prove he has an outside shot. Putting him in the corner on offense is not the best use of him on offense. Maybe we should dump the summer league coach.

 

[Phrazbit]

Summer league is hot garbage, impossible to evaluate anything. The guard play is so atrocious that it's really hard for anyone who isn't a dribbler to get good looks.

I get why they do it, I get why they televise it, but it's just awful awful basketball. A bunch of guys who, literally, just met days before the games, with a coach who probably almost never coaches live games and players, 90% of whom will never do anything at all in the NBA.

It's just awful and not worth worrying about.

 

[oaken1]

He took a lot of corner threes, trying to prove he has an outside shot. Putting him in the corner on offense is not the best use of him on offense. Maybe we should dump the summer league coach.

quite likely the coach instructed him to jump on those looks... just like pre season football when the guys might spend an entire half working the same move over and over even when the opponent long knows its coming.
Its practice. Hard to get fast paced game looks on a practice court...summer league is good for that,...with the added benefit that there are no NBA allstars on the floor so the young guys are not overwhelmed by the jump in talent from college to the NBA....hell, if you took a guy like Maluach and made him face a Mutombo, Robinson, or Alajuwan right out the gate it could destroy the kids confidence for life and ruin his career.

 

[clyde2tw]

not worried at all. In a training vcr with Flemming, Maluach was swinging his arms wildely on drivings to layups, proof that he is still too raw to isolate body parts in motion. Give him 2 years, we'll see.

 

[Adrian]

John Hollinger concerned about Khaman Maluach after Suns passed on Pelicans trade

NBA analyst John Hollinger expressed his concerns for the Suns after their draft selection of Khaman Maluach, who he views as a project.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Cheesebeef]

If none of our pick swaps would have effected the 2026 Pelicans pick, I would have gone with that and the 23rd pick offer. The Pelicans are going to be really bad next year.

 

[Phrazbit]

If none of our pick swaps would have effected the 2026 Pelicans pick, I would have gone with that and the 23rd pick offer. The Pelicans are going to be really bad next year.

Our grossly leveraged pick swaps are their own thing. Us getting future picks in trades make no difference on them.

 

[SirStefan32]

If you can get the guy you like, you take him. Next year draft be damned.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

yeah im not feeling this non-traders remorse thing - we got so lucky getting the top center at #10 - idk how folks can be salty specially after all the bad luck we've had - kid hasn't even taken the court yet people are already trying to say (definitively) whether not trading the pick was a mistake or not - that's wild

 

[Covert Rain]

If you can get the guy you like, you take him. Next year draft be damned.

This. Next year is just another crap shoot. He is 19 and expected to be a project. The NBA draft is about potential.

 

[Hoop Head]

I never thought Maluach would fall to us so having the ability to take him was too good to pass up. I am a big believer in Maluach and even if he doesn't pan out, it was the right move to take the top prospect where we were.

The Suns have never benefited from lucky breaks so if we make the deal with New Orleans, we see Maluach win ROY elsewhere and Zion become an iron man that leads New Orleans out of the lottery.

 

[GatorAZ]

Give me the Pelicans pick all day if it meant we still trade for Mark Williams. We still don’t know for certain if that exact deal was offered though.

 

[Hoop Head]

Give me the Pelicans pick all day if it meant we still trade for Mark Williams. We still don’t know for certain if that exact deal was offered though.

The Pelicans sent the #23 pick and their first rounder next year to Atlanta for #13. So that's likely what we would have received. The 2026 pick is the most favorable between their own and Milwaukee's, which they owned. It doesn't appear there is any protection.

It's a gamble that may work out but I'm glad the Suns didn't get involved.

 

[JCSunsfan]

This argument is not going to be settled for a couple of years. Some people here are gamblers and some prefer the more likely choice.

 

[Yuma]

Also, we just saw the number one pick drop way down. Just because you supposedly have the most ping pong balls, it can bite you. Knowing our luck in previous lotteries, we would either drop to as low as possible, or pick someone that doesn't work out (Ayton).

I think we did OK with Maluach if he develops.

 

[leclerc]

Yep. How long until we get a word or glimpse of him? Are they in Phoenix working out now? I want some Suns intel about something other than the Kuminga bidding war.

 

[Hoop Head]

Yep. How long until we get a word or glimpse of him? Are they in Phoenix working out now? I want some Suns intel about something other than the Kuminga bidding war.

Late September would be my guess. So almost 2 months of nothing.

 

[95pro]

I think a more relevant thing to focus on is ManMan v Bryant, and even other centers in the draft.

 

[Yuma]

Yep. How long until we get a word or glimpse of him? Are they in Phoenix working out now? I want some Suns intel about something other than the Kuminga bidding war.

That was the one good thing about KD. He would take guys like this and make them work out in the Summer and build some skills. Bol Bol really liked working out with KD. Hopefully, Booker will have some work outs in Flagstaff for the guys.

 

[Hoop Head]

That was the one good thing about KD. He would take guys like this and make them work out in the Summer and build some skills. Bol Bol really liked working out with KD. Hopefully, Booker will have some work outs in Flagstaff for the guys.

Bol Bol didn't improve here. He was essentially the same guy he was when he signed. Bol² did say KD was his favorite player growing up but that didn't seem to help him improve his game.

Durant played a lot of pickup BB but I don't think it helped anyone improve. It didn't build chemistry amongst the roster either.