The Suns have a center debate, and fans have picked a side

The regular season for the Phoenix Suns is right around the corner, with only a few days remaining before the 82-game marathon begins. And if you were to ask people around the league, particularly those outside the Valley of the Sun, how they believe Phoenix will perform this season, many would probably point to the 38.5-win total set by FanDuel as an appropriate expectation. Why? Because much of the conversation surrounding the Suns has centered on their depleted center position following Mark Williams’ injury last month. Granted, that line was established before Williams suffered the injury, but his absence has since become another justification for national pundits projecting a relatively modest season for Phoenix.

With Williams sidelined, we’ve been given an opportunity to watch two young players compete for the chance to earn the starting center position. And who does the Suns community believe should get the nod? According to our latest Bright Side Reacts survey, 67% believe Khaman Maluach, the second-year big man out of Duke, should be the starting center for Phoenix.

Personally, I think this is a tricky decision. Oso Ighodaro brings a level of stability to the starting lineup, and he’s somebody whose presence tends to elevate the players around him. For a group that’s going to need additional facilitation and connectivity offensively, I believe Ighodaro starting is probably the most likely outcome we’ll see from head coach Jordan Ott.

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But Ott has demonstrated throughout the preseason that he’s willing to give Maluach an opportunity as well. In two games against the San Antonio Spurs, a team featuring Victor Wembanyama and all 7’6″ of him, Maluach received the starting nod. And in the preseason finale? Man Man got the start again.

Does that mean he’s outplaying Ighodaro and earning the position? Or is Ott simply gathering as much information as possible before making his final decision? Because if Maluach does end up starting for the majority of the season, it represents an excellent opportunity for his development. He’s a lottery pick with the potential to take a meaningful leap in his second…

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Publish date : 2026-10-17 21:00:00

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