Hang the banner. The Phoenix Suns no longer have the worst three-year outlook in the entire NBA, according to ESPN. Yet, in the process, they are incorrectly piling all of the pressure on 20-year-old center Khaman Maluach to make the rest of Devin Booker's prime matter.
"Khaman Maluachis Phoenix's best hope of escaping the treadmill of mediocrity... Phoenix really needs Maluach to hit or it risks squandering the rest of Booker's prime."
Suns have much more than Maluach to work with in coming years
The national media outlet is right to say that if Maluach becomes a starter and contributes nightly soon, the ceiling on how good this current roster can be rises significantly.
Legitimate seven-footers who can dominate inside with their massive frame while also flashing some shooting from beyond the arc are hard to come by and incredibly difficult to stop. Maluach could be all of that and more, but the Duop Reath training camp addition is further proof that the organization is bringing its top prospect along slowly.
But even if Maluach never reaches his potential, the franchise still has too much going on to sink to the depths many expected it to have already succumbed to. Trading for Miles Bridges was a lateral move, but they also improved their starting group, as he is a clear upgrade over Royce O'Neale.
Dillon Brooks means so much to The Valley, and after signing an extension at the perfect time, he remains a valuable trade asset as well. The same may no longer be true of Jalen Green, but surely another team will see him as an expiring contract and take a flyer on him before long if he is moved.
Then there are the few draft picks the Suns have actually used in the last couple of seasons, which have proved to be nice additions. Rasheer Fleming and Oso Ighodaro look like rotation players, while Koa Peat may soon join them. Even Ryan Dunn might get one final chance to impress.
They might give away picks recklessly, but when they have them, the front office has shown an ability to convert them.
Spending of Mat Ishbia key to Suns' continued fight to win
The cherry on top of all of this positivity is owner Mat Ishbia, who has claimed from day one he will spend whatever it takes to bring a championship to The Valley. So far he has backed that talk up, although having to dip back into the luxury tax when they extend Bridges is going to hurt.
If he can survive spending his cash on a roster featuring Kevin Durant that didn't work out and whatever you want to call this current crop of players, he truly is in this for the long haul.
Maluach is an important part of their future. He could even be the guy who helps take them to the next level. But to say he is all the Suns have to hang their hopes on at this point in the Devin Booker era is simply untrue.
Is the banner ready yet?
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