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With Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks out, dealing with foot and hand injuries respectively, rookies Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming have been given their most consistent opportunities to contribute, and people are getting excited.
Both players have had strong outings in their last
two performances. Maluach followed up his five-block game (he’s one of just three rookies to have such a game this year) against the Pelicans with nine rebounds and two blocks against the Hornets, while Fleming has hit six three-pointers in his last two games and set a career-high with 16 points in the team’s win over Charlotte. Fleming had three games last week with at least two triples.
The team’s two youngest players making legitimate contributions in victories did not seem to be possible. To start the year, neither rookie was playing a lot, and when they did, both would struggle. Maluach looked lost on offense at times, and Fleming struggled immensely shooting both inside and beyond the arc.
While the sample size is small for both, the two are filling holes that the team is facing with two starters not playing. Fleming has played well enough for people to question what forward Ryan Dunn’s future with the team looks like.
Both Brooks and Williams look to be both out for at least another week to ten days, so they both should remain regular contributors for the Suns amid their six-game road trip, but what do their roles in their rotation look like once they both come back?
Here’s the current layout:
Currently, Maluach is operating as the team’s backup center. Nick Richards is out of town, and Oso Ighodaro is the team’s starting five. Ighodaro has been filling in Williams’ role nicely. He’s averaging 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds since Williams went out. While Ighodaro is more of a passer and agile, Maluach is a stronger interior presence.
Ryan Dunn has typically been ahead of Fleming in the rotation, but with Dunn struggling on offense, it’s been the reverse. In his last ten games, he’s averaging 4.3 points per game, 37.5% from the floor, and 28% from deep. Dunn brings the athleticism and perimeter defense, Fleming provides more play finishing and shooting.
As the team creeps closer and closer toward the end of the regular season, the two starters look to return. As much as the Suns are looking to make a run, they are also limited on their long-term assets. Fleming and Maluach are some of the team’s best. How should they handle the young guys’ minutes and development once Williams and Brooks come back? What does development look like for young players when a team is fighting for playoff seeding?
