<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-khaman-maluach-reacts-first-nba-preseason-game');   ga('set', 'title', 'Suns’ Khaman Maluach reacts to first NBA preseason game vs Lakers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Former-Duke-Blue-Devils-center-Khaman-Maluach.jpg"><figcaption>Zachary Taft-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Suns’ Khaman Maluach reacts to first NBA preseason game vs Lakers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-04T07:22:24-07:00">October 4th, 7:22am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-04T07:22:24-07:00">October 4th, 7:22am</time><address><a href="https://haydencilley.wixsite.com/hayden-cilley-s-port">Hayden Cilley</a>Hayden Cilley joined ClutchPoints in August 2024 as a Phoenix Suns and Mercury reporter. Hayden graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. He recently covered the Phoenix Mercury for The Next Hoops and PHNX Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Although it may only be the preseason, Phoenix Suns rookie Khaman Maluach impressed many before the game began on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers.</p><p>For instance, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-khaman-maluach-absolutely-jacked-offseason-transformation">Maluach impressed the Suns with the amount of muscle</a> he put on. It was quite impressive, considering he was drafted nearly three months prior.</p><p>That commitment could be a microcosm of what Phoenix is hoping to represent in the 2025-26 season. Either way, he posted four points and six rebounds in 10 minutes of play.</p><p>He had an emphatic alley-oop that gave fans a glimpse of Maluach’s potential. Following the game, he explained what emotions came with his <a href="https://x.com/DuaneRankin/status/1974349467710337123" rel="noopener">first taste</a> of NBA preseason action.</p><p>“It was fun. It was really fun because everybody was there and it was like the first look at the team and the first time we all got together,” Maluach said via Duane Rankin of AZCentral. “Oh man, I felt like I did what I was supposed to do. It’s a lot to work on. It’s my first game, and it just felt great being out there.”</p><h2><b>Khaman Maluach had massive praise from others on the Suns</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Khaman-Maluach-talks-to-the-media-during-the-2025-NBA-Draft-Combine-at-Marriott-Marquis-Chicago.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>For what he has accomplished already, Maluach has an impressive basketball resume, despite not playing professionally for a lengthy time.</p><p>He was a major help in South Sudan’s qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games and gave USA Basketball a run for their money. Once he stepped foot onto the Duke campus, all eyes were on him.</p><p>Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were the talk of the program, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-khaman-maluach-endorsement-jon-scheyer">Maluach made a lasting impression</a>. His infectious energy, which helped him earn the nickname “man-man,” along with his basketball acumen, radiated onto everyone.</p><p>The same feeling has been applied to his Suns teammates, and specifically head coach Jordan Ott. Before Friday’s game, he gave a lengthy response about how to <a href="https://x.com/DuaneRankin/status/1974292546882097432" rel="noopener">navigate the learning curve</a> with the rookie.</p><p>“Man-Man, he’s 19 years old. We start with that. We start with the person he is, the high character person he is, and we know we need to show some grace. He’s only played one year of college basketball. He has a lot of skill to go along with his size,” Ott said via Rankin.</p><p>“We also have great center depth. I think we’re going to try to figure out some things, especially with (Mark Williams) out early, to see where Man-Man does fit into all of this. It’s going to be a steep learning curve knowing he’s only 19.”</p><p>Phoenix will travel to China and take on the Brooklyn Nets in another preseason game. His minutes might be reduced, but Maluach can be expected to make steady improvements before the regular season begins.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Suns’ Khaman Maluach reacts to first NBA preseason game vs Lakers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-khaman-maluach-absolutely-jacked-offseason-transformation');   ga('set', 'title', 'Suns’ Khaman Maluach looks absolutely jacked after offseason transformation');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Khaman-Maluach-talks-to-the-media-during-the-2025-NBA-Draft-Combine-at-Marriott-Marquis-Chicago.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Suns’ Khaman Maluach looks absolutely jacked after offseason transformation</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-30T20:24:04-07:00">September 30th, 8:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-30T20:25:14-07:00">September 30th, 8:25pm</time><address><a>Rishav Bhat</a>Rishav is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It’s been an offseason of stalled negotiations, minimal free agent movement, and well, physical transformations. The latest to show off a stark change in physical appearance is none other than <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/phoenix-suns-khaman-maluach-concern-2025-nba-summer-league">Phoenix Suns rookie Khaman Maluach</a>, who confirmed that he has <a href="https://x.com/DuaneRankin/status/1972790745955553551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1972790745955553551%7Ctwgr%5E626fe18ad064624f6016482205ac84121e9d7164%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fnba%2Fsuns%2F2025%2F09%2F30%2Fphoenix-suns-7-footer-khaman-maluach-adding-weight-muscle-for-rookie-year%2F86321531007%2F" rel="noopener">put on around 10-12 pounds</a> as he prepares for his first season in the NBA.</p><p>“I added a little bit of weight, I’m like 263 now, 262. I’ve been here the whole summer. That kind of helped me out, too, with it,” Maluach explained during Suns media day via Duane Rankin.</p><p>The 19-year-old, 10th overall pick of the 2025 draft <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/suns-news/89900/phoenix-suns-khaman-maluach-bulks-up-weight-gain-muscle-development-2025-nba-rookie" rel="noopener">has been listed at</a> 250 pounds by ESPN, with NBADraft.net bumping him up to 255, per SB Nation. Maluach was listed at 260 pounds as part of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-john-hollinger-concerned-khaman-maluach-phoenix-passed-on-pelicans-trade">Suns’ summer league roster</a> and appears to have been using the offseason to ensure he is in the best possible shape for Phoenix.</p><p>However, this transformation is not exactly a result of lifting weights. Maluach explained that he has been working on his “weak spots,” such as his hips, knees, quads, and his upper body.</p><p>“It hasn’t really been (lifting) weights, weights. It’s just like developing and getting strong from like the base,” he explained.</p><p>“It’s been helping. I feel like I’m right there. Still have more work to do. Still have more strength to gain, but I feel like I’m right there.”</p><p>The Suns’ rookie was initially seen looking visibly bigger during the Fan Fest held at the PHX Arena last week. While fans and social media had speculated about this visible gain in muscle, the observations were confirmed during his appearance at media day.</p><p>Maluach seems well aware that his first season in the NBA will be more about keeping up and developing, rather than dominating. He conceded that this transformation is an ongoing process, and may as well have gained a few more pounds by the time the season tips off.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">'I added a little bit of weight. I'm 263 now, 262."</p><p>Suns rookie 7-footer Khaman Maluach, who was listed at 253 pounds on Phoenix's Summer League roster. </p><p>On the added size: "It's been helping. I feel like I'm right there. Still have more work to do. Still have more strength to… <a href="https://t.co/nNmKypq8RC">https://t.co/nNmKypq8RC</a> <a href="https://t.co/OoupA3EwEK">pic.twitter.com/OoupA3EwEK</a></p><p>— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) <a href="https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin/status/1972790745955553551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Suns’ Khaman Maluach looks absolutely jacked after offseason transformation

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-john-hollinger-concerned-khaman-maluach-phoenix-passed-on-pelicans-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'John Hollinger concerned about Khaman Maluach after Suns passed on Pelicans trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/NBA-Draft.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>John Hollinger concerned about Khaman Maluach after Suns passed on Pelicans trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-27T17:00:48-07:00">July 27th, 5:00pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-27T17:00:48-07:00">July 27th, 5:00pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>NBA analyst John Hollinger has concerns about the Phoenix Suns’ draft selection of Khaman Maluach.</p><p>The Suns selected Maluach with the 10th overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. He enters the league after a standout freshman campaign at Duke, showcasing his talent as a rebounder and defender.</p><p>However, Hollinger <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6512060/2025/07/25/nba-summer-league-disappointments-nets-pelicans/" rel="noopener">pointed out a concern he noticed</a> after Phoenix passed on a doing a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.</p><p>“Could the Suns have done what Atlanta did and walked away from the draft with an unprotected future first from the Pelicans and the 23rd pick instead of staying at No. 10? Discussion over whether Phoenix fumbled the bag by not taking the New Orleans offer will only heighten if Maluach can’t give the Suns a quality big,” Hollinger said.</p><p>“Phoenix opted to take the Duke project, and I’ll emphasize the word “project” here; his was a rough entry to professional basketball. The 7-1 Maluach only posted a 13.5 percent rebound rate, took nearly half his shots from 3 and had one assist in 70 minutes. Watching from courtside made me more concerned about his hands, as contested rebounds and alley-oop opportunities escaped him at times.”</p><h2><b>What lies ahead for Khaman Maluach, Suns</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/NBA-Draft-Combine.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>John Hollinger’s concern is reasonable, especially as Khaman Maluach is a work in progress as he adapts to life in the NBA. Despite this, the Suns may be willing to wait.</p><p>Phoenix decided to split up their star core for the last two seasons, cutting ties with Bradley Beal and trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. This now leaves Devin Booker, who secured a historic contract extension to navigate the franchise as their top player.</p><p>The Suns reached the NBA Finals in 2021, showing how far they have regressed since their rise as a contender in the league. They missed the playoffs this past season, emphasizing the need for them to retool the roster and give Booker the best supporting cast possible.</p><p>It might take a while for them to get back into playoff contention, but the decisions they made were necessary to take the new direction they are on now.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

John Hollinger concerned about Khaman Maluach after Suns passed on Pelicans trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/phoenix-suns/phoenix-suns-khaman-maluach-concern-2025-nba-summer-league');   ga('set', 'title', 'Phoenix Suns’ biggest Khaman Maluach concern after 2025 NBA Summer League');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Khaman-Maluach_f5879e.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Phoenix Suns’ biggest Khaman Maluach concern after 2025 NBA Summer League</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-24T04:42:47-07:00">July 24th, 4:42am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-24T04:42:47-07:00">July 24th, 4:42am</time><address><a>Rishav Bhat</a>Rishav is a seasoned NBA and sports journalist and editor with over seven years of experience working for reputed organizations. A novelist first and foremost, he has written three fiction books. His high threshold of knowledge combined with his writing skills gives him the ability to write uniquely insightful pieces across basketball, soccer, cricket, lawn tennis, eSports, and a variety of other sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Phoenix Suns are in the middle of a landmark offseason which has seen them part ways with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-strategy-kevin-durant-trade-devin-booker-extension">two huge stars in Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal</a>. Now firmly in rebuild mode, the Suns have made several cap-conscious moves in order to kickstart their post-superstar era.</p><p>In the historic seven-team trade that saw Durant leave, the Suns also acquired the draft rights of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-maluachs-2-word-reaction-to-seeing-his-name-at-summer-league">Khaman Maluach, who they are hoping to immediately integrate into the first team</a>. Maluach, expected to straightaway provide cover to Mark Williams at Center, played three games in the NBA Summer League. However, his outings showed exactly why he may not be NBA-ready just yet, with plenty of concern over his efficiency and hand-eye coordination.</p><h2><b>The Suns’ Khaman Maluach had a mixed time during NBA Summer League</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Khaman-Maluach_f5879e.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Maluach showed flashes of potential during the 2025 NBA Summer League, but his biggest concerns remain his shooting efficiency and free-throw conversion, the latter even being reminiscent of Shaquille O’Neal.</p><p>Maluach converted just seven of his 16 free-throw attempts over the three games, and shot at just 35.7% from the field while converting just 23.1% of his three-point attempts. While his overall averages of <a href="https://www.nba.com/suns/schedule?EventSchedule=3">10 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks</a> across just 23.1 minutes per game scream good things, his efficiency issues were compounded by shaky hand-eye coordination, per NBA.com.</p><p>Maluach fumbled passes, dropped simple rebounds and missed plenty of easy finishes at the rim. He looked out of depth at times due to the pacing of the game, and will need to improve quickly in order to emerge as a serviceable big man in the NBA.</p><p>The Suns obviously see the 18-year-old as a long-term piece with a high ceiling. However, early signs point to him being a raw prospect who will need to work on multiple aspects of his game in order to become the player the Suns need. Maluach has the athleticism and the size, but his struggles with the finer aspects of the game were all too prominent to ignore during the summer league.</p><p>The Suns were outscored by a whopping 39 points during the time he was on the court, and Maluach seemed desperate to make an impression. This was obvious due to his high-volume shooting. He attempted 4.3 three-pointers per game and had a total of 28 shots in his three appearances, converting just 10.</p><p>While the confidence to take on shots despite missing them is admirable, the player looks some way away from becoming a reliable NBA big, and will need to be smarter with his offensive decisions. This was also evident due to his high turnover rate; Maluach committed 2.3 turnovers per 0.3 assists during his time on the court, alongside foour fouls per game.</p><p>In such a scenario, Maluach may be a long way away from becoming the superstar he has the potential to be. Of course, the 18-year-old has age on his side, and considering the acquisition of Mark Williams, will have the luxury of easing in as he attempts to find his footing in the big league.</p><p>The Suns, however, may need to alter their plan and understand that their lottery pick is a long-term prospect and will need time in order to start contributing on a regular basis. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Phoenix Suns’ biggest Khaman Maluach concern after 2025 NBA Summer League

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-news-khaman-maluach-endorsement-jon-scheyer');   ga('set', 'title', 'Khaman Maluach gets major endorsement from Duke HC Jon Scheyer');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_0055.jpeg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Khaman Maluach gets major endorsement from Duke HC Jon Scheyer</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-16T17:32:58-07:00">July 16th, 5:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-16T17:32:58-07:00">July 16th, 5:32pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It’s been an offseason of major change for the Phoenix Suns. The team broke up their ‘Big 3’ first by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/suns-news-kevin-durant-message-phoenix-rockets-trade">trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets</a>, and then agreeing to a buyout with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/clippers-news-bradley-beal-officially-suns-buyout-sign-la">Bradley Beal who will sign with the LA Clippers</a>. 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.</p><p>Jon Scheyer was in Las Vegas for summer league, and during an appearance on the NBA TV broadcast he explained why Khaman Maluach <a href="https://x.com/NBATV/status/1945610063579693322" rel="noopener">could have a big impact</a> for the Suns.</p><p>“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.”</p><p>“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.”</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
2.3	0.7	0.3	0.7	-

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
2.3	0.7	0.3	0.7	-

Khaman Maluach news

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