There is now no doubt that the Phoenix Suns won the Kevin Durant trade. While they made the postseason and got two starting calibre players in Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, the Rockets failed to live up to expectations.
If that wasn't bad enough for Houston, the Suns look like they are going to have another reason to celebrate the trade in 2026-27. Khaman Maluach.
Center prospect Maluach part of long-term future in Phoenix
With the future of current starting big man Mark Williams, Maluach may get promoted to the starting lineup as soon as next season. Even if that doesn't happen, and it probably shouldn't, the South Sudanese bruiser figures to be part of the roster for the remainder of the decade at least.
It has been well documented that the Suns have no way to improve around Devin Booker outside of improving from within, and Maluach is a prime candidate to be that player. Yes he was played out of necessity against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs, but the flashes were clear for all to see.
Proof of this can be seen in the Suns' defensive rating when Maluach was on the court, even if the sample size of just under nine minutes per game in the series is small. As a result of playing the defending champions, Phoenix posted a playoff worst rating of 127.2. Miles behind the next worst team (Atlanta Hawks, 121.9).
Yet when Maluach was out there that number shrunk all the way to 103.5 points conceded, which would have both led the regular season and is currently tied with the New York Knicks for the best defensive rating in the playoffs. Not bad for a raw prospect with zero offensive game.
If head coach Jordan Ott can make him a consistent part of the top 10 defensive his team had during the regular season, then the sky really is the limit for Maluach.
Having a couple of go-to offensive moves would help immensely, but there is still reason to believe that will come in time. But to have a player capable of making a difference defensively in limited minutes in a playoff series when he was the third best player the Suns got in the Durant trade is massive.
He was a lottery pick so it is not like this is completely unexpected, but his emergence next season at a time when the Rockets need role players who can carry the defensive load around their stars is perfect timing in The Valley.
Imagine if Maluach was backing up Alperen Sengun instead. Don't bother, laugh about the fact it never happened instead.
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