Phoenix Suns Rookies Should Contribute in Year 1

NBA newbies often need plenty of time to cook before seeing real, on-court impact.

Being thrust into the best basketball league on the planet obviously isn’t always an easy transition. Especially those slated to see smaller roles, opposed to star opportunity like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and more.

Phoenix’s new draft class of Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming fit the role player mold, though both could be primed for impactful frosh seasons with the Suns. And the team will certainly need it as they enter a new, Kevin Durant-less era.

Drafted at No. 10 overall, Maluach is potentially the toolsiest prospect in the class — a 7-foot-2 center with immense length, able to impact the game on both ends because of it. In anchoring the paint for a Duke team that made the Final Four, Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 71% overall.

Maluach is somewhat of a project big, being moderately new to basketball without some of the pure refinement that makes up 7-foot lob threats and defenders.

Still, if he can position himself adequately on the interior, he should deter plenty even as an NBA newbie due to size alone.

If Maluach isn’t the toolsiest prospect in the draft, it’s likely Fleming, who the Suns nabbed in trading up at Day 2 of the NBA Draft. At around 6-foot-9 with a miraculous 7-foot-5 wingspan, he used his elite measurements to wreak havoc for St. Joe’s, scoring on the interior and perimeter while racking up stocks on defense.

Much like Maluach, from a physicality standpoint Fleming should be well ahead of the curve. Though the jump from the Atlantic 10 to the NBA is sure to be tough. Still, his ability to hit threes, finish high and disrupt should leave him in fine position in Year 1 and for the future.

As it stands now, it seems the Suns came away with contributors that should make somewhat of a splash soon, but still have upside down the line.