The Phoenix Suns spent media day hyping up second-year center Khaman Maluach, but when you look at the lack of future assets available to them and the fact that they have to go all in to win with Devin Booker right now, they had no other choice.
Maluach the most important prospect Suns have had this decade
What is worrying for the Suns is that all we have seen from Maluach to this point is under 8.9 minutes per game in 46 regular season games in his rookie season, followed by a promising showing at Summer League. Plenty of young talent has dazzled in Vegas only to go nowhere, and Phoenix is only pushing Maluach hard right now because of the unfortunate injury to Mark Williams.
That’s not to say he can’t step up and produce at the levels required for a team trying to win more than 45 games. But the worrying alternative is continuing to allow him to come along slowly (in an ideal world, they would do this while also sending him to the G League to dominate sporadically), which in turn would force Oso Ighodaro to become their only capable center.
He found his groove last season as a backup who can spend time at the forward and center positions, but being a starter on a top-four-chasing outfit looks a step beyond the 24-year-old. That is why Duop Reath was added to the mix on a training camp deal, and you can bet he will be kept around either on a standard or two-way contract ahead of the action beginning for real.
Assuming Maluach is the starter on opening night versus the Portland Trail Blazers, he is likely to be playing alongside Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges, a veteran-heavy group that won’t be able to afford to carry him through the inevitable mistakes and off nights he has.
Booker’s approval gives Maluach breathing space he badly needs
Maluach texting Booker, which led to offseason workouts between the pair, is encouraging, as it shows the franchise cornerstone is actively trying to help the prospect get better. But the worrying part nobody wants to talk about is that Booker also doesn’t have a choice here. It is either believe in Maluach’s potential or hope Ighodaro and Reath can exceed expectations.
Maluach's production could have a say in which other guards stick in The Valley, increasing his importance to the organization. All of this is happening so quickly for both the player and the team. When you look at the lack of draft picks or other young players, none of which have the tantalizing potential Maluach possesses, you quickly realize they don’t have a choice.
No pressure, kid.
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