The Phoenix Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Rockets before the draft for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft, and five second-round picks. The No. 10 pick in the draft turned into Duke center Khaman Maluach, who has since made his unofficial Suns debut at Las Vegas Summer League.
Maluach looked lost during the start of Phoenix's first game in Vegas, which, to be fair, isn't unusual for a rookie, especially not one who is only 18. He started to become a little more comfortable as the game progressed, but in Monday's game against Sacramento, Maluach continued to look off.
He doesn't look like he's ready to jump right into the NBA after spending a year in college, which, again, wasn't the expectation (or at least it shouldn't have been) when Phoenix snagged him. However, the level of concern is higher than normal because of the Durant trade. The Suns probably could have received more in a deal if they had waited longer, but they didn't want to prolong it.
Phoenix wanted a high pick in the draft and got it to select Maluach. Time will tell if it was the right decision, but so far, things are off to a rocky start.
Khaman Maluach's NBA Summer League struggles are concerning (but not surprising)
The Suns traded for Mark Williams during the first round of the draft, giving them a new starting center. They also still have Nick Richards, whom they traded for midway through the 2024-25 season. Whether they keep Richards or not after drafting Maluach is still to be determined.
Summer league isn't a make-or-break moment for Maluach, but it does give Phoenix a good idea of where he's at with the start of the regular season three months away. His looking out of sorts and struggling to keep up with the pace in Vegas isn't reassuring, but it also isn't a reason to sound the alarm. Not yet, at least.
Unfortunately for Maluach, he'll be tied to the Durant trade, considering it's how he ended up in Phoenix. Because of the Suns' lack of assets, they need to nail the Maluach pick, putting even more pressure on the teenager. If things don't pan out in Phoenix for the center, he'll join a list of poor decisions that Mat Ishbia orchestrated.