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The Phoenix Suns announced Thursday they are picking up the team options for Khaman Maluach and Ryan Dunn for the 2027-28 season. Dunn will be entering the fourth and final year of his rookie deal, while it’ll be the third for Maluach.
The decisions do not come as a surprise. Along with 2026 first-round pick Koa Peat, second-year forward Rasheer Fleming, and third-year big Oso Ighodaro, the two are considered the team’s best prospects with the highest upside. Maluach, Dunn, and Ighodaro were all drafted by the team and had opportunities to start and play meaningful minutes at various points in their young careers.
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While Ighodaro has had the most opportunity so far, starting in all of the team’s playoff games and 26 regular-season contests last season, Maluach is considered the prospect with the most upside. The two are competing for the starting center spot with Mark Williams out for at least the first few months of the season. This summer, Maluach dominated in Summer League, averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds per game on 40% shooting from three.
With him being the lone lottery pick out of the five, his 7’1″ height, 7’7″ wingspan, and willingness and improvement to shoot the three, many view him as a potential long-term fit next to Devin Booker in the starting lineup. He saw limited minutes for most of last season until the end of the year, when he played a backup big role behind Ighodaro with Williams out with a foot injury.
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Despite a letdown sophomore season in which his minutes, field-goal percentage, and three-point percentage declined from his rookie year, the Suns remain invested in Dunn, their 2024 first-rounder. A below-average three-point shooter for his position, the forward is a dynamic rim-runner who has started alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker and has the physical attributes to guard other teams’ best forwards. Dunn’s minutes decreased in the second half of last season, but he started the year in the starting five.
With the Suns limited on draft picks for the foreseeable future, the Suns continue to choose to retain their young talent on the roster beyond this season.
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/suns-pick-options-khaman-maluach-230000070.html
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Publish date : 2026-10-01 23:00:00
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