The Phoenix Suns won’t be able to catch teams with the element of surprise next season, so they are going to need new ways to stay ahead of the competition and get back to the playoffs.
Khaman Maluach can be secret weapon in The Valley
Which is where 19-year-old big man Khaman Maluach enters the equation. Barely used during the regular season, he was thrown into action unexpectedly in the series versus the Oklahoma City Thunder.
This was as much to do with Mark Williams not being able to play in the series as anything else, but it was still a vote of confidence from head coach Jordan Ott that was not there throughout the first 82 games.
OKC attempted 46.5% of their shots in the paint during the first three quarters of Game 2 and made 67.7% of them (21-of-31). In the fourth quarter, that number fell to 35% of their attempts and 50% (3-of-6)
— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) April 23, 2026
Khaman Maluach played all 12 minutes of the fourth.
The Maluach Effect pic.twitter.com/igxZKUIHJq
Maluach was nowhere near ready for the moment, but there were still moments when his massive frame made Thunder players think twice about barging towards the basket. That alone will lead to more run next season.
You could also see Maluach look more comfortable in the defensive schemes that coach Ott put together, with some of them designed to not over complicate the game for the South Sudanese giant. That is not a criticism of the player either, rather it is smart coaching.
The stints spent down in the G League also did wonders for Maluach’s confidence offensively and with the ball in hand, although we are still a long way from him being a regular contributor.
If that were to somehow happen in year two, then the floor of this roster would raise significantly. We’re getting ahead of ourselves though, simply being able to defend more consistently would be enough for now.
So with Williams’ future uncertain and Oso Ighodaro only being used as a small ball five in certain matchups, Maluach is the player who is going to get 15 minutes a night to pummel opponents.
He will miss rotations and get beaten off the dribble regularly, but this is all a part of the process that will see him one day become the starter in The Valley.
Coach Ott has another reason to turn to his big man more in 2026-27 as well, the Suns’ second round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The team has had success in recent years with their selections, and they surely need to select a scorer with the pick.
This will ensure Maluach has less competition for minutes from another youngster and should be the vote of confidence needed for him to kick on in his sophomore campaign.
Add us as a preferred source on Google