The Phoenix Suns enjoyed by far their best win of the season over the weekend, as they took down the Houston Rockets 102-99. A game in which the Suns were rewarded for their patience with Ryan Dunn, although sophomore center Khaman Maluach was relegated to a bit-part role. He is progressing at a slow pace, but can now look to Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers as a player to model himself on with the Suns.
Similarities between both centers bodes well for Maluach
Over in Portland, former seventh overall pick Clingan has taken a leap in his third season to help the Trail Blazers, who have replaced the Suns as the surprise package so far this season, be competitive on both ends of the court each night. The 22-year-old anchors their defense, while he is also a 3-point threat when trailing plays. Clingan also possesses the size to guard the biggest opponents the rest of the NBA have to offer.
Sound familiar? That's because Maluach ticks a lot of the same boxes, he has just not reached the point Clingan has where he can be consistent each night. Clingan shot 28.6 percent from deep as a rookie, and so far this season has jumped out to an impressive 45.5 percent on 2.4 attempts each night.
At 20 percent on fewer than one attempt per game, Maluach is miles behind that pace. But he has already shown a willingness to get better and to take that shot when it is available to him. The main difference between the two is the fact that Clingan averaged a double-double (over 12 points and 11 boards each night) last season in his sophomore campaign, and Maluach does not look anywhere close to that right now.
Putting up 7.4 points and 6.5 rebounds is an improvement on last season, but Clingan was only a year older than Maluach when he made that small jump. Year three is where he is putting it all together, although, to be fair, he has an All-Star-level teammate in Deni Avdija alongside him, making his life easier. Maluach, on the other hand, has had to take on even more responsibility without Mark Williams.
Maluach must be given time to improve as Clingan once was
Unfortunately for the South Sudanese big man, the one thing he cannot afford right now is what he needs the most. Time. The Suns are trying to win with Devin Booker, whereas Clingan was able to spend his first couple of seasons learning on the job as the Trail Blazers retooled, eventually bringing back Damian Lillard.
Trading for Domantas Sabonis would take a lot of the pressure off Maluach to produce, but victories like the one over the Rockets push that possibility of that happening further down the road. Clingan and Maluach share plenty of similarities that should excite Suns fans, but we are still some way off Maluach reaching the point Clingan already has.
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