Suns select Khaman Maluach #10 overall in 2025 NBA Draft

[ShelC]

My general concerns are that he's typically been bigger, stronger, taller than his competition up to this point. There are some fundamentals he's lacking, like getting low and boxing out effectively because in college he could ball watch and just go up and grab a rebound. Even in college there were times when his man would slip thru and grab the OR because of that. So that's something he needs to work on and be consistent with because just being big won't work against the savvier, more experienced players who can match his size/strength/athleticism (Jokic, Zubac, AD, Gobert, MitchRob).

I also think he took bad angles or closed out too hard at times but was able to rely on his length to recover and block or change shots after getting beat, which might not happen at the NBA level.

I'm a bit less concerned about his shotblocking because you don't always need to block the shot. Changing shots and deterring them is equally as important, but most important is not biting on fakes or trying to block EVERY shot, which can lead to foul trouble or giving up ORs. With his size and length, just staying solid at the rim should be good enough.

[INFORMER]

You all can dismiss his 3-point shooting all you want, but I think it will be a part of his game.

To be clear, I'm not saying it will or will not; I just don't get anything from seeing someone do something in an empty gym that he hasn't proven in a game. There has been too many instances where it just doesn't translate.

[In2ition]

I do like that there is no rush to get him to produce immediately. You work with him on things and really emphasize getting stronger and building his skills, so when he does get out there, he's successful.

[Gladiator]

My take - which is pretty cold rather than hot take territory - is that this was a really good, solid pick. Is Maluach a perfect prospect? Clearly no. But if he was, he would not have been on the board at #10. But to get a player judged by some (granted not all) as the best on the board, at a position of need, and with significant upside is a great pick. That doesn’t make it anything like guaranteed he will work out. But there is more reason to be optimistic than pessimistic in my view.

[Split T]

Ya I tend to agree Gladiator…I wasn’t even really considering him because I didn’t think he’d make it to us. I’m not a talent evaluator by any means, but if he develops into the player people say he can be, I think he’s a great pick. Massive defensive anchor with some offensive upside.

[Ring_Wanted]

My take is that, I wanted Carter and would probably have just drafted him (or ideally traded down with ATL it possible) but purely from a "value" standpoint the pick was defensible. Not a slam dunk because Maluach is such a extreme bust risk, but still a player universally projected higher than #10 who dropped, at a position of need too.

The real question to me then is, why consummate a trade for Williams? I get that the kid might not be ready, and that's fine. But spending precious assets on a consolidated young vet who will need his first adult contract soon? You are a) actively bottlenecking Maluach's development if Williams pans out for us unless you envision twin towers working (not buying it myself, or at least very skeptical but for sure happy to be wrong in the future); b) taking in an injury risk that is not strategically needed now that you have your supposed center of the future; c) murking (even more) your salary cap outlook by having to make a decision on Williams' next contract; d) incurring in a large opportunity cost after using your very few tradeable picks.

Under these considerations, once I took Maluach, my approach would have been to back off from the agreed upon deal (live with it CHA, shit happens just like we had to swallow it when GWS repudiated their Amare trade with us) and use the assets for other moves to address more pressing needs, namely a point guard or a PF with real size who can shoot and play some center too (if all fails, just plain save the picks). This scenario, by the way, gives me to additional benefits: being able to waive Micic and make it easier to drop under the second apron, and affording actual room for Oso to keep developing (really like him and actually want him to roid up and make him a full time center).

[specialsauce]

We have officially entered the "must be on mushrooms" part of the offseason when we complain that a 23-year-old is a vet!!

That was basically Cam Johnson's age when we drafted him dude.

Williams is still just a rising star. We have an established rising star at center and drafted a young man who has all the physical and mental attributes to rise as well beside him. MAN it sucks!!!


Yall must only wear one pair of shoes, otherwise you'd complain about the redundancy of having a sweet ass second pair of kicks

[ShelC]

Age isn't really a factor. He's heading into his 4th year now so it's irrelevant. Cam was like a 24yr old 5th yr senior when he got drafted and Book had been in the league 6 years already.

I do have questions about the timing of the trade. The strategy...I can understand wanting Williams here as a starter so Maluach isn't thrown right into the fire if he isn't ready. But the contract concerns are legit IMO.

[specialsauce]

It is a factor.

He's 23. He's not close to his prime. Hes a young guy who has 10 years+ left in this league if healthy. He has so much room for growth. We talk about him like we acquired Joel Embiid.

[ShelC]

What do you think his ceiling is?

[Carno]

Giannis

[Superbone]

Behind the scenes:

[TOO]

Gregory always seems like he's yelling at you.