The Phoenix Suns are betting big on Khaman Maluach, and they don’t really have another lane to take.
At media day, the Suns made it clear they’re leaning hard into their second-year center. That kind of public push makes sense when you zoom out and see the bigger picture: Phoenix is short on future assets and has to chase wins now with Devin Booker in place.
In other words, this isn’t a luxury play. It’s the hand they’ve been dealt.
That’s what makes Maluach such a risky centerpiece. So far, the résumé is thin.
He played under 8.9 minutes per game across 46 regular season games as a rookie, then followed that with a promising Summer League run. That last part matters, but it also comes with a warning label.
Vegas has a way of making young players look like they’re ready before real games expose the gaps.
The Suns are moving quickly because they have to, and Mark Williams’ injury only accelerates everything. Phoenix is pushing Maluach into a bigger role right now, not because the timeline is perfect, but because the alternatives are far less appealing.
The slow-build option would be the cleaner path in a different situation. In that world, Maluach could develop at a steadier pace, maybe even spend time in the G League while he grows into the job.
But Phoenix doesn’t have the luxury of patience. If they go that route, Oso Ighodaro becomes the only other real center option.
Ighodaro earned his place last season as a backup who can slide between forward and center, but asking him to start for a team trying to finish in the top four feels like too much. That’s why Duop Reath was brought in on a training camp deal, and there’s every reason to think he sticks around in some form, whether on a standard contract or a two-way.
If Maluach is in the starting lineup on opening night against the Portland Trail Blazers, he’ll be surrounded by Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges. That’s a veteran-heavy group, and it won’t have much patience for the mistakes and rough patches that come with a young center still learning on the fly.
Booker’s involvement at least gives Maluach some breathing room. The two connected over text and worked together in the offseason, which is a good sign for a prospect who needs as much support as he can get.
But there’s another layer here too: Booker doesn’t exactly have a choice either. The Suns have to believe Maluach can handle this, or they have to hope Ighodaro and Reath can beat expectations.
Maluach’s production could even affect which other guards remain in The Valley, which only adds to the weight on his shoulders. Everything is happening fast for the player and for the franchise. And when you look at the lack of draft picks and the absence of other young talent with Maluach’s upside, the reality is plain.
The Suns are all in. Now they’re asking a kid to help carry the bet.
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Suns Should Avoid One Backcourt Mistake Around Devin Booker
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Rob Dillingham has been floated as a possible answer in some circles, but the more practical path for Phoenix appears to be staying with the guards already in the building and avoiding a move that does not clearly raise the level of the group. Jordan Goodwin fits that conversation better, while Collin Gillespie remains part of the backup mix, and the Suns can only benefit if the next decision is about clarity rather than chasing another name that complicates the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Add Another Forward As Ryan Dunn Faces More Camp Pressure
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For a group of players fighting for the same kind of opportunity, every practice rep matters, and Wheeler's presence only tightens the pressure around the back end of the roster. He is unlikely to be in the mix for a standard roster spot, but he does add another body for the Suns to evaluate alongside players such as Ryan Dunn, whose standing in camp is now facing even more scrutiny. [Read more 🡒]