I have to admit, I am not much of a cook. Oh, I can keep myself fed and alive all right. I would just be eating a lot of spaghetti a lot of the time. But I am getting better every day. Every time I cook, I learn a little bit more about why this dish should have paprika and that dish should have smoked paprika.
My wife, in contrast, is an excellent cook and has taught me all that I know about cooking. She and I come from different backgrounds, however. She started cooking at a much younger age than
I did. My parents didn’t teach me how to cook when I was younger, and I joined the Army after I graduated high school. I said my wedding vows before I ever had a kitchen of my own to learn in.
I have all of the tools I need to become a great cook someday. My vision works well enough to read a cookbook. The internet is full of vast quantities of knowledge that I can lean on. I have a desire to get better and the opportunity to do so. Most importantly, I have an experienced teacher who knows what she is doing. The only reason I am not a great cook already is because of the amount of time I have been cooking.
I submit to you that Khaman Maluach will be a good cook someday. He has all the tools he needs to be great. God sent the game of basketball for people like Khaman Maluach, with a 7’1” height and a 7’7” wingspan. All he needs is time.
This season, he hasn’t gotten much playing time at the NBA level. Before Mark Williams’ foot injury, the only real minutes he got in competitive games were in the G League. Since the Mark Williams injury was announced on March 5th, things have looked…rough for Khaman Maluach. He has had a game with 5 blocks and another with 9 rebounds, but he has also had a game in which, in 15 minutes of game time, he recorded neither a block nor a rebound.
We are seeing why Jordan Ott hasn’t had confidence in him to get real minutes in real games before he was required to. But before you go smashing the “He’s a bust!” button, let’s look at some other rookies in recent memory that got almost no playing time in their rookie years but went on to be productive players.
Ivica Zubac
I know this might sound crazy, but I think Ivica Zubac is a great comparison for Khaman Maluach, and could be the best outcome for the Suns’ young center. Zubac was a 19-year-old rookie among a cast of young players who were yet to establish themselves as fixtures in the NBA. Much like Maluach, his per-36 numbers as a rookie made him look like he could be a productive center with enough minutes, but the eye test told you that he had a way to go.
I think if Maluach was getting the sixteen minutes per game that Zubac got in his rookie year, their numbers may look almost identical. Fortunately for Suns fans, Maluach is playing on a better team than Zubac was in 2017, leaving fewer minutes open for the development of teenage prospects.
Today, Zubac is a really solid starting center. He was second team all-defense in 2024-2025 and was traded to the Indiana Pacers to be their Myles Turner replacement next year as they attempt to go back to the NBA Finals.
The per-36 numbers for these two are even more interesting. Maluach averages 11.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per-36. In his rookie year, Zubac averaged 16.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Maluach isn’t as polished a scorer as Zubac was in his rookie year, but it can be argued that he already does the dirty work better.
I like Zubac a lot. I would love to have him on my favorite team. If Maluach becomes Zubac, I will be ecstatic with his development. It is worth noting that Maluach is just a little bit bigger than Zubac and has displayed more athleticism. I believe this can lead to a higher defensive upside than the Pacers center has.
Rudy Gobert
I invite you to join me in la-la land as I compare the Phoenix Suns’ struggling rookie center with one of the greatest defensive centers in NBA history. But I ask you, why shouldn’t I? Look at the rookie numbers for Rudy Gobert compared to Maluach:
Now, I cannot say I was locked into Utah Jazz games in 2014, as I was busy trying to pass eighth-grade algebra. But what I will say is that Rudy Gobert is no special athlete, and in his rookie year, nobody would have guessed he would go on to win four DPOYs. Everyone knows that he is completely deficient on offense, and the Timberwolves star has never jumped out of any gym.
What has made Rudy Gobert great is the fact that he is 7’ 1” and in the right place at the right time. Gobert is smart and has been used well by his coaches. When you marry these two ideas, you get a massive obstacle positioned in the right place to deter a lot of shots.
Gobert came into the league at 21 years old. By the time Maluach is 21 years old, I think he can be as good as 21 year old Gobert. I think he will probably be better. He might already be better.
The per-36 comparison is interesting here as well. As a reminder, Maluach averages 11.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per-36. Gobert averaged 8.6 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks. That puts rookie Maluach between Zubac and Gobert. Man Man is a better defensive player than Zubac, but a little worse on the offensive end. Compared to Gobert, he is a little better on offense but a little worse on defense.
Jordan Ott is a great coach. If Maluach works hard to learn as much as he can, if he continues to build his body up, and if his coaching staff continues to be really good at their jobs, Khaman Maluach has all the tools he needs to be Rudy Gobert.
Reed Sheppard
I want to leave you with the example that inspired my optimism about Maluach. Reed Sheppard is an odd comparison, I know. Two more different players may be hard to find. Sheppard is a small point guard. Maluach is a massive center. The only real comparison is that they were both top-10 picks (Sheppard went #3 to Houston) who didn’t have inspiring rookie seasons.
In fact, Reed Sheppard’s rookie year was a disaster. In a season where the Rockets put themselves back on the map in the post-Harden era, Sheppard could be found in the G-League or watching from the bench. When he did get in the game, it didn’t look good. An abysmal 35.1% shooting percentage is not what you want to see out of a rookie guard.
But this season, things changed. Sheppard is averaging 13.4 points and 3.2 assists on 42.8%/38.8%/80.5% splits. Is that a breakout star? No. Is it a 21-year-old finding his footing and turning into a viable NBA player? Yes.
This is the sort of sophomore season I am hoping to see out of Maluach. Maybe someday he will be a star, but next season I just want to see a viable backup center.
Khaman Maluach
Maluach has played great in the G-League this season. Does that mean he will turn into Rudy Gobert or Ivica Zubac? Of course not. He cannot pass the NBA test in the G-League, but failing in the G-League would’ve told us that he wasn’t ready for the NBA test.
Playing well in the G doesn’t mean everything, but it does mean something. Remember, Collin “Russell Westbrook” Gillespie once averaged 21 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds in the G-League.
Maluach can turn into a great player. Development doesn’t look the same for everyone. Some guys come into the league and dominate immediately. Others, like the three guys discussed, need a little more time. Give Maluach that time and watch as he grows.
He’ll figure out which dish needs paprika.
