It’s been a rough couple of years for Phoenix Suns and they are hoping the tide starts to turn with the selection of Duke Center Khaman Maluach.
The Suns were in the NBA Finals in 2021 when they were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. Since then, the Suns acquired star guard Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards and future Hall of Fame forward Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.
However, things have not gone as planned. The Suns have struggled since making those acquisitions, and it all culminated with them missing out on the playoffs completely this season.
With their lack of success combined with the salaries of Durant, Beal, and star Devin Booker, the Suns decided to rebuild. They dealt Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks.
Phoenix Suns Select Khaman Maluach With the 10th Overall Selection in the 2025 NBA Draft
With that 10th overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Suns selected Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach.
The 7’2”, 253-pounder is clearly very raw – he averaged just 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 71.2% from the field and 76.6% from the free-throw line in 21.3 minutes across 39 games for the Blue Devils last season. However, Maluach’s upside is what made him a lottery pick.
Khaman Maluach:
☑️ Born in South Sudan 🇸🇸
☑️ Raised in Uganda 🇺🇬
☑️ Standing tall for the whole continent 🌍#NBADraft pic.twitter.com/UzmCwzdHYV— NBA Africa (@NBA_Africa) June 26, 2025
“Though he is currently limited to finishes at the rim, Maluach shot the ball well during the Combine and inspired optimism that he could turn into a threat outside of the paint with continued development,” PFSN’s Bjorn Bergstrom wrote.
Maluach, originally from Rumbek, South Sudan, should be a very effective rim runner and rim protector in the NBA.
“Extremely raw but exceptionally athletic,” added Bergstrom.
Obviously, the top reason you draft a player like Maluach is for his defensive presence. His massive 9’8 standing reach and 7’5 wingspan should make it tough for opponents to get easy buckets in the paint against the Suns. As Bergstrom points out, his athleticism could eventually make him an offensive threat as well.
In the meantime, he can run the floor and get out in transition to create easy buckets for himself as he continues to develop his offensive game.
Suns Strike Deal With Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams
The Suns are obviously looking for help in the frontcourt, as they also acquired center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the 29th overall pick.
Injuries limited Williams to just 44 games last season. He started out the season on the bench after suffering a strained tendon in his left foot prior to the start of camp, which led him to miss the first 20 games of the season. Williams still managed to average 15.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 60.4% from the field last season.
