The NBA has revealed its All-Rookie teams for the 2025-26 season, and no Phoenix Suns players have appeared across either team.
Which if you were paying attention to their season, should not come as a surprise but also does not have to be a negative either.
Suns favored veterans en route to playoffs this season
Neither Khaman Maluach or Rasheer Fleming had a major contribution to the Suns making the postseason, but that was by design. Head coach Jordan Ott clearly leaning on his veterans to get them there, which is why Dillon Brooks was so important in his first season in The Valley.
Rookie center Maluach in particular showed how raw a prospect he is when given the chance, but not trusting him more during the regular season eventually came back to haunt Phoenix.
The 19-year-old was rightly sent down to the G League multiple times to get some reps, but when the playoffs started he was forced into action as Mark Williams was nowhere to be found.
Meaningless regular season game and we’ve gotten 0 minutes for Khaman Maluach so far?
— Robbie (@SunsAreBetter) April 11, 2026
What to do with the former Charlotte Hornet is another problem to solve this offseason, but one which could benefit the South Sudanese big man. A larger opportunity could be coming his way.
Fleming looked much more ready to contribute at this level, although coach Ott again brought him along slowly. Already he has a more diverse offensive game than Ryan Dunn, while he stepped off the bench in their playoff sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder to knock down some 3-pointers.
So given that both rookies only came alive at the end of the campaign, they were never going to sneak onto an All-Rookie roster, and that is perfectly fine.
The Suns are trying to be competitive with Devin Booker in The Valley while also building towards a brighter future. Coach Ott was also attempting to win games and prove that he is the long-term head coach they need, and so there was no room for Maluach and Fleming most nights.
This also allowed them to grow in an environment in which there wasn't much pressure, although if the coaching staff did make one mistake here it was with just how low the duo's minutes were.
Maluach's 8.9 a night less even than Nick Richards (9.1) before he was traded away, while veteran Haywood Highsmith came in and played 13 minutes a night, more than Fleming (12.2).
Plenty of players have failed to make these teams and only gotten stronger after the fact, and the Suns have to hope that will be the case here as well.
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