Suns Rookie ‘Commanding the Defense’ in Training Camp

Not to beat a dead horse but the Phoenix Suns will look a lot different next season. Frankly, the turnover since Mat Ishbia took over as the franchise owner has become commonplace, for better and for worse. Even so, with two multi-time All-Stars —Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal — being replaced by multiple players without a single All-Star selection between them, this change is their most dramatic yet. That’s not even factoring in that they’ve moved away from accomplished retreads on the sidelines, hiring first-year head coach Jordan Ott.

All of that being said, with the NBA now in the full throes of training camp, the focus is on the Suns newcomers. Dillon Brooks‘s defense, competitiveness and camaraderie are welcomed to a team that had problems in all three areas last season. Jalen Green‘s all-around upside has perhaps been undersold, and he’ll have the opportunity to prove that soon enough. 2025 No. 31 pick Rasheer Fleming has a chance to take over as the starting power forward. 2025 No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach is already “commanding the defense.”

Suns Rookie Khaman Maluach ‘Commanding the Defense’ in Training Camp

On Saturday, Suns three-point specialist Grayson Allen spoke to the media about what he’s been seeing early in training camp. When asked about the team’s center group, which has suddenly become their deepest position, Allen notes that Maluach, Nick Richards and Oso Ighodaro have been “battling.”

(Note: Mark Williams has been a limited participant in training camp)

“They’ve all been good,” Allen says (h/t Arizona Republic reporter Duane Rankin). Like, today, we played a lot of live scrimmage and the level of rebounding –both offensively and defensively –was great today and it started with our 5s grabbing a bunch of tough rebounds.”

Speaking specifically about Maluach, Allen emphasized the 7-foot-2 big man’s intangibles:

“He talks nonstop on the court. Like he’s commanding the defense, calling out coverages, constantly talking.”