The Phoenix Suns spent media day hyping up their sophomore center prospect Khaman Maluach. As the Suns sort through their abundance of depth in the backcourt, perhaps whichever guard can figure out how to best play with him will have a long career in The Valley.
Maluach is the big Suns want to build future around
General Manager Brian Gregory was quick to reveal that Maluach—still all of 20 years old—will be given the opportunity to push for a starting berth as soon as the season opens. Assuming he is ready for the responsibility, how a slew of guards play alongside him will determine which of them stick in the rotation.
Collin Gillespie has to like his odds of jumping from potential sixth man to starting outright in Phoenix as long as he keeps developing. He is a composed operator who loves to set up teammates, so running screen-and-roll actions and even inverted pick-and-rolls to utilize Maluach’s 3-point stroke, as we saw at Summer League, is an exciting prospect.
Jordan Goodwin can also feel good about his odds of increasing his role. The potential for him and Maluach to be a nightmare defensively for all manner of opponents is in play, particularly when combined with Dillon Brooks and new addition Miles Bridges, who recently revealed his commitment to the defensive cause in Phoenix.
The picture is murkier for Jamaree Bouyea because he replicates a lot of what Goodwin can do, just not as well. A reliable jump shot and 3-point heave can be hard to come by when he’s on the court, but he'll have an opportunity at training camp to show what he can do. The same is true of two-way guard Pat Spencer, who has already gushed about Maluach’s energy and could form a fearsome and tenacious duo.
Jalen Green/Kennedy Chandler have most to gain
Really, the offensive-minded guards stand to benefit the most, as Maluach is as rough as they come on that end. Suddenly, having Green attack the basket downhill off a Maluach screen looks much more enticing, while the undersized scorer in Chandler would be backed up defensively by a seven-foot monster.
The Suns want to remain a top-10 outfit at protecting their basket, and both Green and Chandler do not help in this area. Pairing both with Maluach makes them a much tougher proposition to break down, while also adding dynamic scorers alongside Devin Booker. The superstar has already gotten a head start in working out with the second-year center, causing even more reason for excitement.
Maluach is not just the key to the Suns raising their ceiling, but he will also help decide which guards survive and thrive in Phoenix.
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