It is only right that Khaman Maluach comes in ninth on our list of Phoenix Suns with the most to prove this coming season, because of the increased expectations on the 19-year-old.
Summer League explosion has created hype and silenced doubters
Despite looking like a raw prospect as a rookie, the situation in The Valley is rapidly changing in his favor. Yes, the franchise brought Mark Williams back on a three-year, $38 million extension, but that is the kind of contract that can be easily moved if Maluach progresses at a quicker rate than previously anticipated.
With Oso Ighodaro, the other big man in the rotation, trading away Williams in favor of the Suns' duo of homegrown bigs would do wonders for their increasingly bloated cap situation as well.
That would also put Maluach in the position of being the starting five on a team that is pushing to make the playoffs and win a series, and he is nowhere near ready for that kind of responsibility.
What he can show the rest of the NBA in year two is that his Summer League performances (so good the Suns shut him down) were no fluke, and that the lost youngster we saw on the court to end last season has already evolved and is ready for a leap.
What that would look like from a statistical and output standpoint would be no trips to the G League, a modest improvement on 46 games played, and upwards of six points and boards each night. That would represent double his rookie campaign, when Maluach managed three points and a shade under three boards.
Maluach will face critics any time he has an off night
That sounds simple, but in reality, he is going to get bullied by more powerful centers, while the finesse types such as Domantas Sabonis will also have a field day moving him out of position and dancing around him.
Every time Maluach shows tangible improvement, it makes the Kevin Durant trade look even better from the Suns' perspective, while he has gotten a tiny bit of national love in recent months, too. This progress won't be linear, which is why he still has so much to prove despite being so young.
Real growth in year two would raise the Suns' ceiling and ensure Devin Booker can dream of contending one more time with the franchise. No pressure, Khaman...
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