The seven-foot prodigy eyes a breakout role, wielding elite rim protection and perimeter range to potentially overtake veteran starters as the defensive heartbeat of Phoenix’s rising rotation.
Khaman Maluach is one of the bright spots in the immediate and long-term future for the Phoenix Suns.
Maluach, 19, is the first lottery pick the Suns have used under their own authority since Jalen Smith in 2020.
This makes the development of the second-year center under the watchful eye of head coach Jordan Ott and staff all the more vital.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report is one of many that believe Maluach will take a major leap forward, to the point of believing that he will be the best center on the Phoenix roster within the first two months of the campaign.
The 7'1" prodigy is far from a perfect player or finished product, but he is on an upward trajectory in a way that the 24-year-old Mark Williams might not be. While Williams will be the starting center to begin the season, eh entered the 2025-26 campaign having only played 50% of potential career games.
It's difficult to trust Williams' health to hold up, and Maluach owns more upside as an explosive rim protector, three-point shooter, and connector of the offense.
Fellow center Oso Ighodaro deserves a mention here as well, as the third-year big man is an excellent passer and defensive piece within the rotation. However, Ighodaro projects as more of a four rather than five long-term. His relative rebounding ability and lack of an outside game prevent the 24-year-old from being a full-time starting center at the moment.
Ott and staff having three worthy bigs at their disposal to play situationally is an absolute plus, but the Duke product Maluach has the best chance to take a turn into stardom. July's Summer League in Las Vegas was the first sign of this turn, as the center shot 40% from three-point range and collected over two blocks per game.
Perhaps the most crucial development is that the South Sudanese talent seems to be displaying a greater level of comfortability on the court, a greater sense of catching up to the speed of the professional game.
A more aware, astute, and decisive Maluach is the key to unlocking his shooting potential, rim protection prowess, and assert his overall physical dominance.
The Suns are banking on Maluach to take the expected step forward - it's now up to him to fully embrace more trust being placed in him.
The 2026-27 debut for Maluach is expected to be in an October 5 preseason game against the Detroit Pistons.
