The Phoenix Suns head into Summer League in Las Vegas with plenty of intrigue, and Khaman Maluach sits near the center of it.
The 19-year-old big man is one of the most interesting names on the roster, and he’s also a reminder that not every promising summer showing is a sign that a bigger role is coming right away. Maluach didn’t give Phoenix much in his rookie season, though the expectation was never that he would.
In the G League, it was a different story. The South Sudanese center took over plenty of the games he played in, using his size and force to overwhelm opponents.
That same physical edge should show up again in Summer League. He’s going to have dominant stretches, because at this level his frame alone will cause problems for players trying to make a name for themselves. But those flashes won’t mean the Suns are suddenly ready to hand him a larger role when the 2026-27 season opens.
That’s not a reason for alarm. Phoenix brought back Mark Williams for a reason, and as long as he’s healthy, he remains the top center on the roster.
Oso Ighodaro adds another layer to the picture. He has spent time at the five, and he may be closer to the trade block than many people think.
Phoenix already saw what he can bring in his sophomore season, and he finished the year in a solid spot with the team. He fits well coming off the bench, can move across the forward spots and brings a burst of athleticism that Maluach doesn’t have yet.
Last season, outside of the G League, Ighodaro played in 46 games and averaged just under nine minutes per night. In the postseason, that number jumped to 11.3 minutes across all four games of the sweep, and even if Jordan Ott was searching for any possible edge, that still says something about where Maluach stands.
The bar for success doesn’t have to be high. If Maluach can eventually settle into around 15 minutes a night and produce something like four points, six rebounds and a positive defensive rating for the Suns while he’s on the floor, that would count as a win.
Summer League will almost certainly push those numbers well past that level. That’s fine. This is still a process, and Maluach is exactly where he should be.
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Summer League Could Expose Which Suns Prospects Are Actually Ready
The Suns head into 2026 Summer League with a roster that should tell them plenty about the next wave of their young talent. A mix of rookies and more seasoned prospects gives Phoenix a chance to sort through different stages of development, with first-rounders Peat and Maluach drawing the most attention and second-round picks Fleming and Brea also getting a real chance to show where they stand.
For a team trying to build out its future, this is the kind of setting that can separate long-term projects from players who are ready to push for a bigger role sooner rather than later. Peat, Maluach, Fleming and Brea all arrive with different expectations, and the Suns will be watching not just for production, but for the kind of progress that hints at how quickly each one can fit into the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Miles Bridges Brings Another Off Court Cloud Over The Suns
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Both sides have now filed legal documents accusing the other of misconduct in connection with those custody issues, keeping the case active and the details in motion. For Phoenix, it is another unwelcome distraction attached to a player whose off-court history has already made every new development a sensitive one, and the Suns have not commented on the situation. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Just Raised The Stakes For Khaman Maluach
The Suns used a lottery pick on Khaman Maluach last summer because they wanted to build around his size and long-term upside at center, and they have not backed away from that plan. Even so, the roster around him has made the path more crowded, with Mark Williams back in the fold and Oso Ighodaro still in place, which means Maluach is entering a season where development and opportunity will have to line up at the right time.
Brian Gregory has already made clear that Maluachs minutes will be determined by a mix of factors once the season begins, so nothing is being handed to him. For now, the next chance to make his case comes in Las Vegas, where Summer League gives him a stage to show the Suns why he should be more than a developmental piece in a rotation that already has some established names ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]