Analyst Gives Summer League Grade to Suns Rookie

The Phoenix Suns have been evaluated throughout the Las Vegas Summer League.

Khaman Maluach arrives before the first round of the NBA Draft at Barclays Center. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Phoenix Suns center Khaman Maluach got his first taste of NBA basketball at the Las Vegas Summer League earlier this month.

Maluach, who doesn't turn 19 until September, is an incredibly raw prospect for the Suns and he is someone the team needs to build around after acquiring him in the Kevin Durant trade.

CBS Sports writer Cameron Salerno graded Maluach's performance in Summer League and gave him a "B" for his efforts.

"The Suns got great value by selecting Maluach at pick No. 10. You could make the case that Brooklyn or Toronto should've taken him at 8 or 9, but it sounded like him landing in Phoenix was by design," Salerno wrote.

"Here is the thing about Maluach: his stats won't measure the impact he has in a game. That was the case when he was at Duke and during the summer league. His long frame allows him to disrupt shots at the rim without recording blocks. He finished with four total in three games. He was also incredibly efficient around the rim last year at Duke. Summer league also proved an emphasis on stretching the floor. Sure, he shot only 3 for 13 from the 3-point line, but even showing a willingness to stretch the floor is positive."

The Suns traded for Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets the same night they acquired Maluach, so the team likely isn't expecting him to play starter minutes right away.

Maluach can learn from Williams and veteran Nick Richards as he gets his feet wet in the league, allowing him to earn his minutes with the Suns. If he plays well enough at the start of the season, he could be a surprise contributor for the team.

Maluach will now have a few months to work on his game before the Suns get back to training camp in late October.