Khaman Maluach
Center, 7’2”, 250 pounds, 19 years old, rookie
The lead-up to the 2025 NBA Draft carried a buzz in Phoenix. New general manager Brian Gregory wasted no time putting his fingerprints on the roster, moving pieces until the Suns found themselves holding the 10th overall pick. A pick that once belonged to them, before it was sent away in the Kevin Durant trade, only to circle back like a storybook twist. And when the board fell the way it did, when Khaman Maluach slid to ten, it felt like the basketball
gods had smiled on the desert.
Seven-foot-two, with a wingspan stretching to 7’5” and a standing reach of 9’8”. A frame built for the modern game’s paint battles, and yet he’s still a teenager. Nineteen on Sunday. The raw athletic profile is undeniable, the kind you dream about when you talk about upside, potential, and what the future could hold.
Now comes the harder question. What will he give in year one? Can he carve out a role, flash glimpses of dominance, and lay the foundation for something bigger? Or will his rookie season be less about production and more about moments, the kind that hint at what’s coming? Either way, Maluach is one of the most captivating storylines the Suns carry into the new season.
2024-25 Recap
Maluach arrived at Duke as a freshman by way of the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, entering the program ranked 51st in the RCSI top 100. On paper, the numbers don’t leap off the page. 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and a 71.2% field goal mark.
But context matters. He wasn’t asked to be a scoring anchor, not when Duke’s roster featured Cooper Flagg, the eventual number one overall pick, and Kon Knueppel, who went fifth.
What Maluach did bring was consistency.
He played in all 39 games, carving out a role and showing growth as the season stretched on. His impact wasn’t defined by stat sheets, it was in the way he fit into a loaded roster, held his own, and earned the respect of those around him. Teammates spoke highly of his character, his kindness, and his willingness to do the work.
Contract Details
Maluach is on a rookie deal, which in his case as the 10th overall selection, is four years, $27.4 million. The last two years of his deal are team options.
Strengths & Weaknesses
The strengths with Khaman are as clear as they come, and it all starts with his size and the way he uses it. At 7’2” with that kind of reach, he is a true lob threat in every sense of the word. Throw it near the rim and he can go get it. Add to that an agility uncommon for a player his size, and suddenly he becomes more than a stationary big. He becomes a weapon in the pick and roll, able to dive hard to the basket, stretch defenses, and punish them when they collapse.
Stephen Gillaspie from No Ceilings noted the following:
Khaman Maluach ranks in the 99th percentile in possessions where he is the roll man. Of all of his credited play types, Khaman spends 22.5% of his time operating as the roller. That grades in the 84th percentile.
Another impressive finishing stat for Khaman is that he spends over 55% of his at-rim finishes dunking the ball. That ranks in the 98th percentile. These aren’t just the typical “I’m big” dunks—many times, he catches the ball on the move or catches a lob and converts above the rim.
Being able to be so effective at this skill is immensely valuable for big men in the NBA. To compare him to other bigs, Mark Williams dunked on his at-rim shots 48.4% of his time at Duke. Donovan Clingan dunked on only 22.3% of his interior finishes. Yves Missi was at 36.9%. Walker Kessler was at 44%. Zach Edey, 41.6%. Only Dereck Lively II, who finished over 64% of his inside shots with a dunk, ranked higher within that player group.
The weaknesses are there, and they begin on the defensive end. For all his size and length, he isn’t an elite shot blocker, at least not yet. That will surprise some, but it’s the reality. Length alone doesn’t make you a rim protector. Add in the physicality of the NBA game, and there will be an adjustment period as he learns to hold his ground against stronger bodies.
Perimeter defense will also be a challenge. Quick guards are going to test him in space, the same way they test every big, and he’ll need time to sharpen his instincts. He’ll need to learn when to close out, when to stay low, and when to slide laterally instead of reaching. These are habits built through repetition, and at nineteen years old, he’s only starting to lay that foundation.
The upside is still real. With his frame and mobility, there’s a pathway for him to become a versatile defender. But it won’t be instant. It will take patience, growth, and a steady climb into his body and into the speed of the game.
One Key Factor
Development. That should be the central focus for Khaman Maluach this season. The excitement is real, everyone wants to see him on the floor, showing flashes of what he can become. But the growth of a big man takes time, patience, and intentional strategy. The hope is that the Suns embrace that philosophy, allowing him to progress at a pace that builds confidence and reinforces his foundation rather than overwhelms it.
Because make no mistake, being a nineteen-year-old center in the NBA can be brutal. Nights will come when it feels discouraging, when the size and strength of veteran bigs lean heavy on his frame. That’s why the presence of Mark Williams and Nick Richards is a blessing. Their roles ahead of him on the depth chart give Maluach the space to breathe. He’ll get chances to play, to learn in live action, but he won’t be burdened with the weight of nightly expectations.
Instead, this year can be about milestones. Moments that show he belongs. Steps that fortify his confidence in what he already does well while sharpening the instincts that will carry him forward. If the Suns handle it right, this rookie season becomes the beginning of something that grows steadily rather than being rushed into something it’s not ready to be.
Prediction Time
I’ll predict we see more of him than originally planned, simply because Mark Williams will miss time. That’s the cost of doing business with him on your roster. Circumstance will force Maluach into the spotlight sooner than expected, but I still believe the Suns will manage his minutes with development in mind.
That word, development, keeps circling back for a reason. It was one of the key phrases Brian Gregory leaned on in his introductory press conference, and it aligns with his reputation for scouting and growth. Everything about his track record suggests a deliberate approach, one built on patience and measured opportunity. Which means Maluach will play, and he should play, but within a framework designed to nurture rather than rush.
Stat Prediction: 38 games played, 7.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 0.8 BLK
Final Thoughts
Young big men taken in the lottery are always a gamble. Maluach has the upside, that much is undeniable, and with that upside comes one of the few glimmers of hope the fan base can cling to for next season. You can already hear it echoing through the walls of social media though, can’t you? Once the losses start to stack, the calls will get louder, fists pounding on the table, demanding more minutes for Maluach. And I don’t know if that’s the smartest approach.
This is a transition year, and the team has to treat it as such. I feel the same impatience as everyone else, the itch to see him out there every night, testing himself, growing in real time. Could he become a cornerstone of this franchise? Time will tell. But the smarter path is the patient one, the one that builds him steadily and puts him in position to succeed long term.
And that’s why I’m excited. Not only to see him on the floor, but to see how the Suns choose to bring him along. That process, as much as the flashes of brilliance, will tell us what kind of future they’re building.
