The Suns addressed a heavy need with the No. 10 selection in the first round of yesterday’s NBA Draft. They selected Duke center Khaman Maluach, hoping to establish a new identity under newly hired head coach Jordan Ott. Maluach was seen as a consensus top-10 selection and could’ve realistically been drafted by several other teams in the top-10. However, Phoenix prioritizing development with Maluach is a good move as they seem to be moving toward building a new young core around Devin Booker after the Kevin Durant trade. Maluach’s development will be important to get correct as his potential is through the roof as a defensive anchor for a Suns roster that lacks defensive talent.
Suns Prioritize Development Play With Maluach at No. 10
Long-Term Fit
The Suns made another draft day move by trading the No. 29 pick (and a 2029 first round pick) to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams. The Maluach selection became even more intriguing with this trade. However, the addition of Williams shouldn’t stunt his development. Maluach brings defensive tenacity that Williams simply doesn’t possess. Maluach should develop his offensive game as he learns behind Williams. The center duo should build a solid relationship with their ties at Duke.
BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading center Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns for the No. 29 pick tonight and a 2029 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/a6eDDn5aE6
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2025
Booker will enjoy the help in the front court. The Suns needed frontcourt help, and Maluach was the No. 1 target for teams searching for a long-term answer at the center position. For the remainder of the offseason, Phoenix will be looking for potential key defensive contributors who can complement the strengths and negate the weaknesses of their backcourt. The development play with Maluach fits the bill.
Player Comparison
Maluach is truly active as a lob-threat and has shown great pick-and-roll ability. His hands are soft and strong, high-pointing passes in traffic, and finishing with great touch around the rim. Minnesota Timberwolves Rudy Gobert and former NBA player Serge Ibaka are good comparisons for Maluach. All three players came into the NBA as truly raw prospects where their teams took the swing on the development play. However, Maluach will need to become a more impactful shot-blocker to meet the expectations of a four-time Defensive Player of the Year and two-time block champ.
Maluach’s Potential With HC Jordan Ott
With Ott as the new head coach, Maluach could be set up with a successful career trajectory. As a raw prospect, he needs to improve on his discipline on both ends of the floor. He lacks aggressiveness sometimes as he doesn’t have the rebounding production a typical 7-foot-2 prospect should have. In his final college game, he collected zero rebounds for the Blue Devils. However, adding Ott and trading into the top-10 to draft Maluach potentially was the go-to plan all along for Suns.
Ott was hired onto the Cleveland coaching staff this past season with Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, helping develop Evan Mobley into the 2025 DPOY and an All-NBA second team member. For the Suns organization, this development play with Maluach could be placed in a similar lens. Maluach shares many of Mobley’s defensive traits with his wingspan, mobility, and shot-alteration. However, his offensive game isn’t as versatile at the moment.
There are high expectations for Maluach to become the next true defensive center prospect. Due to his inexperience, Ott and the Suns should feel positive about their development plan with Maluach. The South Sudan product is still learning the game and already displayed his quick feel for the game in his freshman season with Duke alongside No.1 pick Cooper Flagg. The sky is the limit for a prospect with every tool on a Suns team that need his future services.
Photo credit: © Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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