The Phoenix Suns were wheeling and dealing.
Brian Gregory and the Suns’ brass have not been shy, to say the least. Some might even say they are… aligned.
The Phoenix Suns left the 2025 NBA Draft with an improved young core and optimism surrounding the future that did not exist a week ago. After how last season went, that is all you can ask for. Hope.
Khaman Maluach unexpectedly falling to 10 was just the beginning of an impressive draft class.
The Phoenix Suns pulled off a trio of deals on Thursday to reposition themselves nicely for the second round of the draft. They aggressively moved up to the 31st pick to select forward Rasheer Fleming, who many had as the best available player on the board entering day two.
The Suns entered Thursday with the 52nd and 59th picks. They traded two future seconds to the Nets for No. 36, then flipped 52 and 59 to Golden State for No. 41. That was followed by PHX packaging pick 36 and two future seconds to grab the 31st pick. Target acquired.
They leave the draft with a trio of intriguing prospects, all of whom bring different roles and skills to the table. Size? Check. Athleticism? Check. Shooting? Check. Wingspans? CHECK!
The Phoenix Suns’ official 2025 NBA Draft Class:
10) Khaman Maluach, C – Duke
31) Rasheer Fleming, F – St. Joseph’s
41) Koby Brea, G – Kentucky— Zona (@AZSportsZone) June 27, 2025
Rasheer Fleming’s fit makes a ton of sense on paper for a Phoenix team that desperately needs to add forwards with size. His combination of athleticism, shooting, and strength makes him a seamless fit alongside Khaman Maluach, Ryan Dunn, and Devin Booker, projecting forward.
One thought I have for smaller lineups would be his fit alongside Oso Ighodaro. Those two complement each other fairly well. Fleming is athletic, can defend, and knock down threes? AND he has plus size to go with his massive wingspan? Yeah, sign me up.
The Suns didn’t just throw darts at the board this year. They moved with intention and had a clear vision they wanted to accomplish. The length and athleticism added cannot be understated. Look at those wingspans!
The Suns have added Khaman Maluach, Mark Williams, and Rasheer Fleming over the past 24 hours.
Mark Williams – 7’0″ – 7’6″ wingspan
Khaman Maluach – 7’2″ – 7’6 ¾” wingspan
Rasheer Fleming – 6’9″ – 7’5 ¼” wingspanThis completely transforms their identity. LIMBS!
— Zona (@AZSportsZone) June 26, 2025
The Suns followed up the Fleming pick by selecting Koby Brea with the 41st pick.
Brea is a five-year player who spent four seasons at Dayton before transferring to Kentucky. He led the SEC in three-point shooting last season and was widely considered to be one of the best shooters in the draft.
The Phoenix Suns have selected Kentucky’s Koby Brea with the No. 41 pick.
The best shooter in college basketball over the past two seasons, Brea hit 47% of his 3s, both on the move and with his feet set, at 6-foot-7. pic.twitter.com/ruNc83pKGk
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2025
The trio of prospects all bring a unique set of skills that complement each other well. You have size, length, athleticism, and last but not least… shooting (Brea). For a team that entered the offseason with a bleak future and very little (exciting) draft capital, they hit this one out of the park.
The beauty of the NBA is that offseason grades are not the end-all, be-all. Summer League (which is around the corner) will be the first test (of many) for these young guys.
All that’s left to do is for them to match their impressive draft grades with their play and production on the court. It’s cool to be a draft winner on paper and all, but the realist in me has to see it before getting TOO excited. We are Suns fans, after all.
Plenty of national media folks questioned the Mark Williams trade, but we have seen several rave about how the draft went.
Look, time will tell if the Williams deal was the right move, but I think that swing is absolutely worth taking regardless of who they drafted at 10.
Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, and Koby Brea. This draft has been a big-time success for the Suns. All three guys have skills that’ll allow them to stick in the NBA. Maluach’s at-rim impact, Fleming’s 3-and-D style, Brea’s shooting skill. Really impressive by Phoenix.
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 27, 2025
All in all, I feel much better about this team entering free agency than I could have ever hoped for. Let’s hope they keep the positive momentum rolling.
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