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15 hours ago
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Night one of the NBA Draft is over, and while some teams walked away as clear winners, others left fans scratching their heads. One of the biggest moves came from the Suns, who held the No. 10 pick after trading Kevin Durant to the Rockets on Sunday. Unfortunately for Phoenix, they didn’t quite land the young stars they had hoped for.
“Coming off finishing second in the West with only one starter (guard Fred VanVleet) older than 28, the Rockets were surely best positioned to thread the needle of surrounding Durant with enough talent to contend for a championship—particularly as the price dropped to the point where they didn't have to include any of their most prized young players in return,” ESPN’s NBA Insiders wrote.
However, the Suns’ selection at No. 10 should help soften the blow. They picked up a strong addition in Khaman Maluach, and ESPN’s Jonathan Givony sees him as a key part of the franchise’s future.
“The Phoenix Suns have selected Khaman Maluach with the No. 10 pick in the NBA Draft. Definitely puts the Kevin Durant trade in a very different light. His ability to anchor their defense with his 7'6 wingspan and provide vertical spacing should prove essential for the Suns,” Givony wrote.
Maluach was a standout during his lone season at Duke. He protected the rim, used his length to dominate the boards, and contributed offensively when needed. Though his NBA dream was nearly derailed at one point, that path has been cleared—and now, the 7-footer is headed to Phoenix to join a team in transition.
Following a trade last night, Maluach is expected to play behind recently acquired Mark Williams, another former Duke standout. However, given Williams’ injury history, Maluach could see significant minutes as a rookie.
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