NBA Analyst Sings Praises of Phoenix Suns Rising Star After Summer League

Roughly two months remain until the Phoenix Suns reconvene for training camp in anticipation for a 2026-27 season that will come with high stakes attached after a successful campaign a year prior.

One of the players that will be most scrutinized in the months ahead is none other than second-year center Khaman Maluach, who came to Phoenix as a centerpiece in the trade that shipped Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. Maluach's development is crucial to the future of the Suns, as he is one of only two lottery picks from the 2020s decade that is currently on the Phoenix roster.

The Duke product played sparingly as a rookie but showed legitimate promise with the G-League Valley Suns - paving the way for a true breakout as a sophomore, with the Summer League serving as a segue for this to become a reality. 

Maluach's performance during four appearances in Las Vegas caught the eyes of many - including ESPN's Ben Golliver - who labeled the rising star as the "most improved sophomore" during the week-plus long run.

"Maluach logged the fewest minutes among last year's top 10 picks during the 2025-26 season, setting up summer league as a pivotal chance to remind Phoenix's coaches what he can do. The 7-foot-1 South Sudanese center seized his opportunity, averaging 19.5 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game in four appearances while looking like the best center in Las Vegas."

The playing time (or lack thereof) that Maluach received as a rookie caught the attention of many, as the 10th overall pick was expected to see extensive run early in his career after being seen by some as the "steal" of the early parts of the draft. Phoenix's overachieving and Maluach remaining a raw prospect prevented this from happening to a high degree, but the 7'2" big did flash promise in limited run.

Even if Summer League isn't a perfect indicator of where a player is heading on average, it is quite clear that Maluach has gone through marked growth - he's simply more comfortable schematically (on both ends), has found tangible growth as a jump shooter, and has become an even more imposing rebounder.

Only time will tell if this growth will translate into the center's second season in the NBA, but there is little doubt that lofty expectations will follow him during the grueling 82-game slate that is to come in October.

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Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.