It’s been an offseason of major change for the Phoenix Suns. The team broke up their ‘Big 3’ first by trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, and then agreeing to a buyout with Bradley Beal who will sign with the LA Clippers. But one reason Suns fans should be encouraged by the future is due to rookie big man Khaman Maluach who made his summer league debut. Maluach got off to a slow start to summer league, but his former college coach Jon Scheyer will put fans at ease.
Jon Scheyer was in Las Vegas for summer league, and during an appearance on the NBA TV broadcast he explained why Khaman Maluach could have a big impact for the Suns.
“I don’t think that people understand, Khaman, how young he is. Really, he should just be going into college now,” Scheyer said. “You see everything he’s doing. He’s got an infectious personality, he’s always talking. You see his ability, he did a little bit for us, he’s gonna continue to grow.”
“His offensive skill-set, the shooting, being able to put the ball on the floor, but just his impact on the defensive end, I could go on and on about him,” Scheyer continued. “But he’s an incredible competitor, and to me he has the personality and he has the mentality you would want to for your franchise.”
Maluach played one season for Scheyer at Duke before declaring for the NBA Draft. He was selected by the Rockets with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he was included in the trade with Suns involving Durant.
During his lone season at Duke, Maluach appeared in 39 games at a little over 21 minutes per game. He averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots with splits of 71.2 percent shooting from the field and 76.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Maluach plays for the South Sudan national team and he took part in the 2024 Olympics. He was part of the team that nearly beat Team USA during exhibition play.
