We're a little obsessed with Khaman Maluach's play for the Phoenix Suns at Summer League right now, but can you blame us? The 19-year-old showing flashes of true dominance and making the opposition look inferior in the process.
This is the kind of win the franchise needed in the wake of trading away Kevin Durant, while the Miles Bridges addition hasn't exactly been brilliant for vibes in The Valley either.
Maluach's sudden 3-point shooting can open doors for exciting lineups
Nobody could have predicted that Maluach would shoot over 43 percent from deep out in Las Vegas, and we've been tricked by false dawns with other prospects in the past. Who could forget Ryan Dunn beginning life in Phoenix by becoming an elite 3-point shooter for about six weeks, before completely forgetting the form, confidence and shooting motion that made this a reality.
Khaman Maluach sinks back-to-back 3-pointers 🎯
— NBA (@NBA) July 15, 2026
Suns lead the Pistons in the 3Q on ESPNU! pic.twitter.com/d9CMTiwH3G
There is every chance the same will happen to Maluach once the games actually matter, although his apparent turnover issues that have popped up alongside this may actually be a positive.
The Suns won't need or want Maluach to stray too far from the basket when he is on the court next season, his best work coming in and around the rim. But if he can punish opponents by making the occasional effort from deep, it will give head coach Jordan Ott more exciting lineup options to choose from.
What about playing Maluach next to Mark Williams? Having a pair of monsters like that together would surely make the Suns harder to score against inside, even if it is a choice we see less of in the league today.
Maluach's shooting touch would be the only skill making this possible, although it could also spell the end of a Maluach/Oso Ighodaro tandem before it has even started.
Ighodaro had an excellent sophomore season of his own last time out after initially struggling to find a role in the rotation, although he remains undersized at the five in a lot of matchups. Playing him next to Maluach and even Dillon Brooks would, in theory, bring the best out of all three.
Imagine a scenario in which an opposing center is being dragged out of the paint after Maluach has gone 3-of-6 from deep, allowing the likes of Ighodaro and even Devin Booker to get to work inside.
A skill the Suns have lacked throughout this decade, and one which Maluach of all people might just be about to solve. How that would raise his ceiling, and that of the entire roster, significantly if this sudden shooting form holds strong.
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