The Phoenix Suns might be down 0-2 after losing Game 2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but I walked away from that one appreciating some of the adjustments from Jordan Ott. I know. Words I didn’t know if I’d be typing for the remainder of this season. The final two months of the season were rough for the Suns, and while injuries played a big role, the team struggled with rotations, could not close games, and lost some of the competitive edge and execution that defined them early on.
From a fanalyst
perspective, one of the more frustrating parts of that final stretch was the lack of minutes for the rookie class. This is a team that needs internal development to sustain anything long-term, yet Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming were collecting DNPs when clear opportunities were available.
Maluach’s absence stood out the most because the situation was tailor-made to give him an opportunity. Mark Williams missed 17 of the final 21 games, and in that stretch, the 7’2” center out of Duke averaged only 13.7 minutes per game. He put up 4.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks, which scale to 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per 36 minutes. You had the seventh seed locked in. Your starting center was out. The minutes were sitting there. It felt like the right time to see more of him.
I get it. He’s 19. There is going to be hesitation. But he is also the 10th overall pick. At some point, you have to put him on the floor, take the training wheels off, and let him grow.
On Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, we finally saw more of Khaman Maluach. I am not sure if it was a planned adjustment by Jordan Ott and his staff or if they reached a point where they said, “Eff it, let’s see what this looks like.” Because Oso Ighodaro did not look good in this game. My apologies. “Did not look good” is being nice. He was bloody awful. He was short-rimming shots, turning the ball over, and doing a convincing impression of a traffic cone as the Thunder repeatedly waltzed to the rim. It wasn’t pretty. And perhaps Jordan Ott finally realized that I might as well try out this Malauch thing, give it some extended minutes, and see what happens.
If you are looking at the box score, what Malauch did does not stand out. 18 minutes, 4 points, 3 rebounds. No blocks, no steals, no assists. You can point to the plus/minus and see a +10, the only positive mark on the team, but that stat can be misleading in a single game. It says more about lineups than individual impact.
That +10, however, came in the fourth, when he played all 12 minutes. And what he brought was different. His size shifted the geometry of the game. All of a sudden, the Suns looked like a basketball team. His presence alone made opponents think twice about attacking the rim. Offensively, the team had someone who, when the ball touched his hands, the defense didn’t run away from. Because when you see the Thunder and how they react to Ighodaro, it’s comical. They know he can’t shoot. They know his primary function is to connect the possession. So they retreat, and all that is left is Oso in an arena with the ball in his hands, and that is not threatening.
I think back to that game against the Denver Nuggets, when Khaman Maluach did get some run with Mark Williams out. Nikola Jokic and that offense are a machine, and the Phoenix Suns had no real answer. But when Maluach was on the floor, you could feel it shift a bit. He was not shutting Jokic down — nobody does — but his size and length made things uncomfortable for the three-time MVP. He disrupted sight lines, forced tougher passes, and made everything a little less clean, especially compared to when Oso Ighodaro was on him.
And still, he only played 11 minutes. 6 points, 2 blocks. Meanwhile, Ighodaro logged 34. You know how it ended. Jokic gets a clean look over Oso and closes it out, 125-123.
That has been part of the frustration with the rotations. Oso is a good player. For a 40th overall pick, the return has been strong. He gives you a lot. He screens well, he connects the offense, you can run sets through him, he moves, he rebounds, and he can switch defensively. There is value in all of that.
But he is more of a Swiss Army knife. Useful in many ways, not overwhelming in any. And maybe that is why Jordan Ott leans on him. He fits into everything and allows for differing offensive connections and defensive switchability. But I’ll tell you this, if I’m eating a steak, I’m not reaching for a Swiss Army knife. I want a weapon. I want a damn steak knife. That is Khaman Maluach.
He does not have the same all-around skill set as Oso Ighodaro, but he brings something different. Power. Motor. Length. Shot deterrence. And there is a hint of shooting there. It is not polished yet. He has not had the reps, but you can see the possibility of him stretching the floor when needed.
More than anything, he changes that geometry. His presence alone shifts how teams approach the paint. He gives you size and length at the rim. He will have his issues in space, especially in high pick-and-roll situations where his closeouts need work, but around the basket, he alters his behavior. Teams think twice, and they settle more.
You saw it in the numbers. Through three quarters, the Oklahoma City Thunder were 21-of-31 in the paint, 46.5% of their attempts. In the fourth, that dropped to 3-of-6, 35%.
In short, he nudges teams toward jump shots instead of letting them live downhill.
Chances are Mark Williams is done for the year. I would be surprised if we see him in Game 3. That shifts the focus to Jordan Ott and how he handles the frontcourt minutes. Does he start Khaman Maluach? Does he expand his role?
On Wednesday, Oso Ighodaro played 29 minutes, and Maluach played 18. I think that should flip. It gives you a better chance to compete. It also matters for development. This is the time to start thinking about next season, about what this team could look like, and what the rotation might be. Rosters change, that is part of the league, but Maluach is part of the future. Give him the minutes, give him the reps, and let him provide the size this team needs.
I will end on something a little ridiculous. I have been diving into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, watching everything in chronological order. Not release order. Timeline order. I am 14 movies in and heading toward Avengers: Infinity War. It’s a maniacal way to end my days, but for some reason, I started something, and I can’t stop until I am finished.
Why bring it up? Because Maluach feels like one of the infinity stones. And if the Suns ever rolled out Maluach with Rasheer Fleming, it starts to feel like the set is complete. Snap your fingers, and defenses have to adjust. It is a little tongue-in-cheek. I have preached patience all season, and now I am leaning the other way. But at this point, what are you really risking?
At this point, the downside of playing it safe outweighs the risk of finding something real. You are already down 0–2. The known quantities have not been enough, and sticking to them is not going to suddenly change the trajectory of this series. Maluach might not be polished, and there will be mistakes, but he offers a dimension this team otherwise lacks. And sometimes that alone is enough to tilt a game, or at least force the opponent to think twice.
If this season is going to end, it should end with clarity, not hesitation. Give him the floor, live with the results, and see if there is something there worth carrying forward. Because right now, that possibility is more valuable than the illusion of control.
