The Phoenix Suns are done in Las Vegas, and now the attention shifts to what comes next for the 2026-27 regular season. With the roster largely set and few moves expected, Summer League offered a clean look at how the young guys stacked up and where they might fit.
At the top of the list was Khaman Maluach, who made a real case as one of the best players in the entire Summer League. He finished with averages of 19.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.0 blocks while shooting .532/.400/.684.
Maluach controlled the paint on both ends and even flashed enough touch to stretch the floor offensively. That kind of showing creates a tricky center picture for Phoenix, with Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro also in the mix.
Still, it’s the kind of problem teams like to have, especially if last year’s No. 10 overall pick keeps trending this way when the lights get brighter.
Rasheer Fleming also gave the Suns plenty to like. After being traded up for and taken 30th overall last month, he posted 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks on .510/.000/.625 shooting.
The shot questions are still there, and his game has an old-school feel to it, but his physicality jumped off the screen. He got downhill, made the right read, and held up as a switchable defender.
The NBA translation is still a work in progress, but this was a strong first impression for a player trying to carve out minutes in a young forward group.
Koby Brea landed third after a steadier finish to his run in Vegas. He averaged 12.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks while shooting .474/.421/.500.
Brea didn’t start well from the perimeter, but he settled in and kept making an impact with his length, defense and hustle. He had just one truly dominant outing in his final game, but it was enough to show the Suns what they needed to see.
Phoenix will be hoping he can grow into an elite 3-and-D option as soon as this season.
The biggest disappointment among the group was Isaiah Brea, who re-signed with the Suns on a two-way contract this summer. He averaged 7.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.2 blocks on .300/.286/.800 shooting.
The shot never really came around, and he struggled to find any kind of rhythm in his second Summer League. After appearing in just 12 games as a rookie, Brea still has plenty to prove if he wants to show he belongs in the NBA.
In Other News...
Suns Draft Strategy Is Starting To Look Worse Around Booker
The Suns have spent the last several years pushing future draft capital into the present, trying to build a better support system around Devin Booker before the window narrows any further. Some of those swings have at least given them reasons for optimism, with recent additions like Khaman Maluach and Koa Peat offering early signs that not every move has been a miss, and Oso Ighodaro settling into a rotation role as another small win for the front office.
But the bigger picture still feels unsettled, because Phoenix keeps paying a premium to chase immediate help while its long-term flexibility gets thinner. The Bridges trade is only the latest reminder that the Suns are betting heavily on the idea that enough young talent can be found and developed to offset what keeps going out the door, and that is not a strategy with much margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Still Seem One Move Away From Solving A Growing Concern
Phoenix has spent the offseason doing plenty of roster work already, from the Miles Bridges trade to keeping Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin and Mark Williams, while also bringing in Luke Kennard and adding Koa Peat in the draft. The Suns even showed last fall how willing they can be to keep tinkering late, when they sent Deandre Ayton to Portland in a deal that reshaped the group on the fly.
Even with all that activity, the projected starting lineup still looks like it could use one more adjustment before it feels truly balanced. The fit questions are real enough to keep the front office watching, but there is no sense of urgency around an immediate move, which leaves Phoenix in a familiar spot: close to being set, yet still one step from solving the concern that keeps hanging over the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Khaman Maluach Just Gave Suns Fans Something They Have Been Missing
Khaman Maluachs Summer League run gave Phoenix a welcome reminder of what development can look like when a young big starts to slow the game down. After looking raw and out of place as a rookie, he appeared far more comfortable this month, playing with a level of control and impact that stood out enough to earn attention beyond the Suns own building.
ESPNs Ben Golliver even labeled Maluach the Most Improved Sophomore, a nod to how much cleaner and more assertive his game looked in Las Vegas. The Suns liked what they saw enough to bring him back to Phoenix after just four appearances, and now the bigger question is how much of that Summer League progress can carry into a role that matters when the real games start. [Read more 🡒]