Suns May Have Made Major NBA Draft Mistake

The Phoenix Suns are happy with their selection of Khaman Maluach as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but they might come to regret that decision.

Maluach was one of the more disappointing rookies during the Las Vegas Summer League, but the decision to take him could look like a poor one in hindsight if a player taken after him fills into expectations.

Six picks after Maluach was taken, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Yang Hansen, who is drawing comparisons to former NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

"If you're talking about Yang, you're talking about his passing. The 7-footer has dished out a team-best eight assists, most of the silky smooth variety, in his two summer-league appearances. Even if you don't believe Yang will ever achieve three-time MVP status (a solid bet), you can at least see where the Jokić comparisons originate," CBS Sports contributor Colin Ward-Henninger wrote.

"Yang looks extremely confident operating as an offensive hub, shouting out instructions to teammates while relocating them through vociferous gesticulations."

It's bold to compare a rookie to Jokic, but Yang's game is similar to his. This isn't to say that he can't become Jokic, but he has a tall task ahead of him if that's the goal he's set out for himself.

When the Blazers took Yang with the No. 16 overall pick, many were shocked by the decision, especially after the team took UConn's Donovan Clingan the year before. Yang was also viewed as a late first-round pick at best, and likely a second-round selection by many analysts and mock drafts.

The Suns shouldn't be slammed for not taking Yang at the time, but if he develops into someone who plays like Jokic, that could have been a strong piece for Phoenix to use for the foreseeable future.