From Khaman Maluach’s rising dominance to Jalen Green’s quest for consistency, discover which young core members are poised to transform the Phoenix rotation and ignite a championship run.
Phoenix Suns basketball has been marked by a turbulent decade of contention, failed experiments, and resetting the culture with an overhauled front office.
Franchise governor Mat Ishbia and GM Brian Gregory are doing quite well in their efforts to build a sufficient young core, especially compared to how things looked prior to Gregory's hiring.
That raises the question - who is best positioned to be the definitive breakout player in Phoenix this season?
We examine three prime contenders below.
Khaman Maluach is the popular choice to be the definitive breakout star for the Suns this season. The one-year Duke product flashed mightily in the G-League for the Valley Suns as a rookie before taking a leap forward as an all-around player in Summer League.
Maluach has seemingly developed a proficient three-point jump shot, has become more comfortable on both sides of the ball tactically, and has displayed an immeasurable amount of confidence - which is the most important area of growth that is in play.
The one thing that has potential to block the second-year stud from a true breakthrough is the presence of both Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro. Williams is likely to miss games this season (giving Maluach a chance to start), while Ighodaro likely profiles as more of a power forward long-term.
Jalen Green is approaching year six of his professional career, which places the former number two overall pick at an inflection point.
The talented scorer has been a high-ceiling creator for the duration of his career but has hardly ever been consistent enough to break into the upper tier of offensive players in the league.
Another year in Jordan Ott's offensive system, playing alongside Devin Booker, and optimism that health fortunes will be better in the 82 games ahead all lend to the belief that this is the season where Green puts everything together.
Rasheer Fleming already profiles as a future three-and-d star after just one season in the NBA. Fleming currently has limitations as an offensive creator and perimeter defender, but his standing as a three-point shooter/interior defender has already been established.
The 6'9" forward has drawn comparisons to Kawhi Leonard for these reasons, but he is currently buried behind Miles Bridges on the depth chart and has been uneven on offense at times.
There's another gear for Fleming to break, but just how much better can the wing get in the next season?
Verdict: Green is the most likely to make a true star leap next season, but Maluach is the play to make if Williams misses an extended period of time in the months ahead.
