Devin Booker’s 3-point slump has become one of the early preseason talking points for the Phoenix Suns, and Khaman Maluach may have already flashed a possible fix.
Phoenix has looked deep and competitive through preseason play, but Booker’s touch from outside has been rough. He’s 1-of-12 through a pair of defeats, with the Suns resting him in their recent win over the San Antonio Spurs. That ugly start has put a spotlight on whether the Suns can find another way to open things up for their franchise centerpiece.
Maluach’s growing range could be part of the answer. If he can consistently stretch defenses, Booker gets more room to work, and that changes the math for opponents forced to load up on the guard they already have to plan around. Miles Bridges will help in that mix, but Maluach’s ability to hit 3-pointers gives Phoenix a different kind of threat.
The clearest hint came against the Spurs, even without Booker on the floor. Maluach set a screen, then drifted away from the basket and into 3-point range. Victor Wembanyama stayed planted in the paint, apparently unsure whether to stay or go, and Maluach took advantage with a clean look that dropped from deep.
That kind of play was also visible at Summer League, but it hit differently against real NBA resistance. Getting a future league MVP to hesitate and then making him pay is a pretty strong sign that Maluach is closer to being a real factor than most people expected. Dillon Brooks already trusts him defensively, and if Maluach can force defenses to respect him on the perimeter too, his value only climbs.
Oso Ighodaro is still the favorite to start when the games begin for real, but Maluach’s floor-spacing is exactly the sort of thing that can move him up the line. The Suns want help for Booker now, and this is one way to give it to him. The idea of a player this young making opponents choose who to guard was not supposed to arrive this quickly, but that’s where things stand.
Booker has hovered a little above 35 percent from 3-point range during his time in The Valley, which is decent but still a touch below what his shot-making reputation suggests. His current confidence issues and cold start from deep are on him, not Maluach. Still, the rookie big man may end up being the best path to making life easier for the Suns’ star guard.
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For Phoenix, the patience makes sense because Bridges offers a mix of size, athleticism and offensive versatility that is hard to replace if the team pushes too hard too soon. The Suns also know what still needs to sharpen on his end, with defense remaining a point of emphasis, so getting him back healthy matters more than forcing a preseason return. For now, the story is less about a setback than a team choosing the long view with one of its more interesting two-way pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Khaman Maluach Just Made The Suns Center Battle A Real Fight
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Jordan Ott has not made a call on who will start at center on opening night, and the competition now feels like one worth watching as preseason winds down. Ighodaro brings his own strengths, Maluach has flashed plenty of potential, and the Suns can at least take some comfort in the fact that this decision is being earned rather than handed out. [Read more 🡒]