Why Suns Fans Shouldn’t Panic About Khaman Maluach Just Yet
While some of the 2025 rookie class-names like Derik Queen, Cedric Coward, and Danny Wolf-are already making waves in the NBA, there’s a growing segment of Phoenix Suns fans wondering if their team’s top pick, Khaman Maluach, might be falling behind. But let’s take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
Maluach, the No. 10 overall selection in this year’s draft, hasn’t cracked head coach Jordan Ott’s regular rotation yet. That’s not exactly shocking when you consider the Suns’ offseason moves.
Phoenix traded a haul of first-round picks to land center Mark Williams from Charlotte, and they also brought in Nick Richards-another former Hornet-while second-year big man Oso Ighodaro is still in the mix. That’s three NBA-ready bigs ahead of Maluach on the depth chart, all fighting for minutes in a rotation that’s already tight.
So instead of logging minutes at Footprint Center, Maluach has been developing with the Valley Suns in the G League. And here’s where it gets interesting: he’s not just showing up-he’s showing out.
Since late November, Maluach has strung together a series of dominant performances. In a Dec. 11 win over the San Diego Clippers, he dropped 22 points, pulled down 19 rebounds, and blocked four shots. Just over a week earlier, he went for a personal-best 27 points on an ultra-efficient 10-of-14 shooting (that’s 71.4% for those keeping score), along with 15 boards and four more blocks against the Santa Cruz Warriors.
Yes, it’s the G League. And yes, the competition isn’t quite what he’d face on an NBA floor.
But dominance at any level-especially for a 19-year-old-is worth paying attention to. Maluach isn’t just surviving in the G League; he’s controlling games.
The rebounding numbers are eye-popping, the scoring efficiency is through the roof, and the rim protection is consistent. That’s a skill set that translates, even if the timeline is a little longer.
And let’s not forget just how young Maluach is. He turned 19 in September-meaning he’ll still be a teenager when his rookie season wraps up.
Compare that to some of the other rookies already getting NBA shine: Queen turns 21 later this month, Wolf is already 21, and Coward came into the league at 22. Even Amar’e Stoudemire, who won Rookie of the Year with the Suns straight out of high school, had turned 20 by November of his debut season.
So while it might be frustrating to watch other rookies making headlines while Maluach is logging minutes in front of smaller crowds, context matters. The Suns didn’t draft him to be an instant-impact guy-they drafted him for what he could become.
There’s also the roster situation to consider. With Williams, Richards, and Ighodaro ahead of him, it’s tough to find minutes right now.
But that could change. Richards is in the final year of his contract, and if Phoenix decides to move him before the trade deadline, that could open the door for Maluach to step into a larger role down the stretch.
Coach Ott has made it clear he’s focused on winning and pushing the Suns into the playoff picture. But he’s also shown a willingness to go deeper into his bench to keep the rotation fresh. That could work in Maluach’s favor as the season wears on.
The bottom line? Maluach is still a work in progress, but that’s exactly what he’s supposed to be.
The tools are there-the size, the athleticism, the instincts-and he’s already putting them to work in the G League. What he needs now is time, development, and eventually, opportunity.
Suns fans looking for instant gratification might have to wait a little longer. But if Maluach continues to grow the way he has, that patience could pay off in a big way.