NBA Summer League: Khaman Maluach Is Doing More for Suns Than Filling Up Box Score

Sophomore center Khaman Maluach is thriving for the Phoenix Suns in NBA Summer League.

He had his best performance so far on Monday, tallying 21 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks on 50% shooting in just 27 minutes of action. In the two matchups prior, he also recorded a double-double.

Filling up the box score is nice to see, but Suns assistant and lead Summer League coach Chaisson Allen is impressed with Maluach's leadership.

"His voice, it carries. Him being behind the defense, talking, just puts everyone at ease because he’s the anchor back there, and we know that he’s seeing the play in front of him," Allen said, per Hayden Cilley. "So, it’s good that he’s talking back there. His leadership qualities go to the bench at all times. His voice is heard and people gravitate to him."

For a 19-year-old to be earning praise regarding leadership speaks volume about the kind of player Maluach is becoming. He may not be ready to take on the Suns' starting center job quite yet, but it's clear the former Duke Blue Devil is making strides across the board.

On the floor, the improvements are equally as noticeable. 

Maluach remains a lockdown interior defender while simultaneously dominating the paint on the offensive end. He is also clearly looking to add a reliable three-point shot to his arsenal, as he has attempted 15 shots from the arc across three Summer League games. He has knocked down six of the attempts.

Once the regular season comes around, Maluach's numbers will come back to reality, playing behind Mark Williams and possibly Oso Ighodaro. The Suns signed Williams to a three-year, $38 million contract this offseason while Ighodaro is a fellow NBA sophomore but spent much more time at the collegiate level.

The hope is, however, coach Jordan Ott will expand his role from his rookie campaign, and making progress as a leader will only help his case.

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Anthony Pasciolla is the publisher of SunsRoundtable. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.