Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Center, 7’1″, 250 lbs., 20 years old, 2nd season
Khaman Maluach enters his second season in Phoenix after a year of “slow-burn” development under his belt. That was always the plan, especially since they traded for Mark Williams on the same night they drafted him 10th overall.
The 10th pick was a key return from Houston in the Kevin Durant trade, of course. “Man Man” is a core piece for this franchise, and will be a popular “breakout” pick among pundits, especially after his terrific Summer League showcase.
Now, with Mark Williams suffering a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Maluach’s development becomes paramount. He and Oso Ighodaro will assume the majority of the minutes at center, and they just added Duop Reath for insurance purposes.
Just how confident will Ott be in Khaman from the jump? I am hoping they view Reath more as a depth piece than a necessary and immediate contributor, although I do like the signing.
What does it all mean for the second-year product out of Duke? Let’s talk about it.
Last Season
Phoenix took their sweet time with Khaman last season. They did not rush him into the rotation as you might see from your typical 10th overall pick. They entered this whole thing playing the long game, understanding he will be a project that takes time to develop. Jordan Ott consistently stuck with veterans or players he could trust throughout the year, which limited the minutes we all wanted to see from Rasheer Fleming or Khaman Maluach.
Khaman only saw 15+ minutes in nine games last season, and cracked the 20-plus minute mark just four times.
“Man Man” had a pair of promising games late in the season, including an 18-point, 14-rebound season finale against the Thunder in game 82, and a 12-point, 9-rebound effort in game 74 of the season against the Utah Jazz in just 19 minutes.
But now, with the injury to Mark Williams, the timeline speeds up quite a bit for Maluach. He will likely be seeing at least 20+ minutes per night, sharing center duties with Oso Ighodaro and newcomer Duop Reath.
|
GP |
MIN |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
BLK |
FG% |
3PT% |
FT% |
OFFRTG |
DEFRTG |
+/- (TOTAL) |
|
46 |
8.9 |
3.0 |
2.9 |
0.1 |
0.7 |
53.3% |
23.8% |
71.0% |
106.0 |
103.5 |
+47 |
Contract and Roster Context
Maluach is on a rookie scale contract, of course. In 2026-27, Maluach will earn a base salary of $6,316,680, while carrying a cap hit of $6,316,680 and a dead cap value of $6,316,680, per Spotrac.
Nothing groundbreaking here for the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
What He Brings
Khaman Maluach brings a rare blend of massive size, fluidity in his movement, plus the ability to finish with power or finesse. He can alter shots if he’s not blocking them, and serve as a true anchor defensively and a vertical rim threat. Now, we didn’t get to see a ton of it during his rookie year with the Suns, but all of those skills he showcased at Duke are still there.
He just needs to adjust to NBA pace, strength, and spacing. But he has shown those flashes. Most recently, he showcased what he can do during the Summer League, where he earned All-2nd Team honors after putting together a monster stretch of games.
Maluach averaged 19.5 points with a (Summer) league-leading 12.8 rebounds per game, plus 2.0 blocks and 1.3 steals per contest.
The Suns outscored their opponents by 48(!) points during the 109 minutes that Maluach was on the floor during that four-game stretch. He looked every bit the part of a second-year top-10 pick in Summer League. Which is exactly what you want to see in that environment.
Phoenix needs Maluach to be the defensive anchor who can disrupt the West’s elite bigs. He needs to be an elite lob threat for Devin Booker and Jalen Green. He needs to be able to knock down triples at a reliable rate. That’s who the Suns need him to be.
What Needs to Improve
Maluach has plenty of weaknesses, as you’d expect for someone as young, raw, and new to basketball as he is.
He can look lost on defensive rotations on the perimeter at times, or rotate just a bit too late on the weak side. These are habitual things. These are details that he can improve on over time as he improves his instincts and learns the ebbs and flows of an NBA game. It won’t happen overnight. Centers take longer to develop than just about any other position. He will get there if he is committed enough, and there’s no reason to think he is not based on everything this coaching staff and front office have said about him.
ESPN released a Three-year outlook for all 30 teams, and the Suns finished 26th overall. But what stood out was the note in the column, highlighting none other than Khaman Maluach, essentially tasking him as their saving grace. Quite a bold proclamation, though I do generally agree it’s vital he is a “hit,” considering their lack of an abundance of quality, controlled draft picks in future years.
Prediction
I have made it no secret that I believe Khaman Maluach will be the Suns’ starting center this season (even before the Williams injury) and play a huge part in this team’s success. Now, with Williams sidelined it only expedites the process.
Stat Prediction: 77 Games, 9.9 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 55/34/78 shooting
Final Word
We don’t need Maluach to play like an all-star center. He just needs to show up, build trust with the coaching staff and gain confidence in his game.
Consistency and confidence will be the two key traits that Maluach will need to showcase, along with flashes of dominance as a preview of what’s to come in his eventual prime. He has all of the tools to be a special center in this league for a long time. It’s your time to shine, Man Man.
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