The Phoenix Suns are in the midst of making some massive roster changes, and in trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets they managed to secure themselves the 10th pick in this year's NBA Draft. Many fans may have been left disappointed by the fact the front office couldn't take back any of their other future firsts the Rockets own, but they weren't in a strong bargaining position.
Already we put forward a pretty ridiculous theory about the Suns selecting Ace Bailey with that pick, although stranger things have happened. What the franchise surely did not see coming was a trade between the New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets the day before the draft itself, which poses a problem for their strategy on the night.
Khaman Maluach is now likely to be off the board when Suns are up.
The Suns are in obvious need of a center, even though they could yet net a former All-Star big man if they somehow manage to get rid of Bradley Beal in the coming weeks. The draft would appear the place to do so - and although Nick Richards is a fine center in today's league - his best role is coming off the bench in Phoenix.
Duke's Khaman Maluach is expected to be a top 10 selection - but given the pivot by the Pelicans in their strange deal with the Nets - their need for a young prospect of their own at that position has grown stronger. Most mock drafts have Maluach coming off the board between those seventh and ninth picks - and with the Pelicans there at seven - that is a problem if you're Phoenix.
The trade swaps guards -- the Wizards shifting from Poole to the veteran in McCollum, who has an expiring contract. Washington now is expected to approach $100 million in projected cap space in 2026. Pelicans move younger, possibly more dynamic with Poole and Bey. https://t.co/5MoDagRyph
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025
There's another good reason the Suns should have interest in Maluach, and it goes beyond standing over seven feet tall and already looking like a difference-maker defensively. He is South Sudanese, just like Bol Bol. We've already suggested that coming back for a third season in The Valley makes sense for Bol, and having a compatriot there would surely help him feel even more settled.
Obviously drafting a player for this reason is stupid, and Bol isn't even likely to stick around long-term either. He's also running out of time to prove he belongs in a rotation on a regular basis in this league. But there's just enough in there that we've seen to believe that if he's in a place where he is comfortable, Bol can excel.
Really though it is the prospect of what Maluach can be on the court - this team's version of Deandre Ayton defensively - that should have fans worried by the prospect of missing out on him. Last year it was Kel'el Ware who was gone by the time the Suns were up, and they can't allow another potentially excellent big man to slip through their grasp once again.