{"id":215612,"date":"2025-10-15T16:13:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T16:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/215612\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T16:13:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T16:13:08","slug":"maluach-fleming-show-potential-in-suns-preseason-finale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/215612\/","title":{"rendered":"Maluach, Fleming show potential in Suns’ preseason finale"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOENIX \u2014 It\u2019s not clear if the Phoenix Suns\u2019 rotation for the season opener has any rookies penciled in, so they were able to make the most of an odd situation in Tuesday\u2019s preseason finale on Tuesday, a 113-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.<\/p>\n

Phoenix returned from China on Sunday evening after a 14-hour flight, so with a turnaround of less than 48 hours and the obvious awkwardness that comes with that type of schedule, the Suns sat Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro, Nick Richards, Royce O\u2019Neale and Collin Gillespie. With Jalen Green (hamstring) and Mark Williams (return to conditioning) also out<\/a>, that essentially was the Suns\u2019 top 10 players sitting.<\/p>\n

That provided the opportunity to rookies Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea to graduate from garbage time duties in the first three preseason games to real minutes against the likes of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, legit NBA players.<\/p>\n

Given it\u2019s preseason basketball, the night was more about any flashes that were shown instead of sustained success, but we got some of that too!<\/p>\n

Maluach was the most important asset in the Kevin Durant trade, selected with the No. 10 pick, while Phoenix made multiple trades on day two of the draft to move up in the second round and select Fleming at 31st overall. Seeing both show that effort was worth it, even in an exhibition setting, must have been reassuring in some sense for the direction the future is headed in while both might have to wait out their first real opportunities later on in the regular season.<\/p>\n

Maluach produced 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks in 31 minutes, by far his best showing of the preseason. (It also gave great glee to certain Suns fans getting to watch him do it against Ayton.)<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat response. I don\u2019t think he was happy with his performance in that last game in China,\u201d Suns head coach Jordan Ott said. \u201cHe was in there yesterday ready to go again. Again, the character and the spirit of him specifically, that I\u2019m not sure he has a bad day. He may have a bad moment but he\u2019s not going to have a bad day. He came out and showed some things today, so now he set a new standard. He set a new bar that we can hold him to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maluach still very much looks the part of someone who you can see is thinking as he moves, getting caught between two spots as an offensive hub or as an anchoring defender, which puts him in a tough spot consistently considering how giant of a human he is. But when things are in the flow or he can be in a simpler situation around the basket to just utilize his motor and size, he can impact games right now.<\/p>\n

This is terrific work from Maluach in a higher-up drop, initially showing Doncic he\u2019s there to meet him around the screen before backpedaling with him and recovering for the lob threat he knows is heading to the rim:<\/p>\n

this sequence from the Suns \ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/EFF8aNlCqn<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Cage (@ridiculouscage) October 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Ott said postgame they want the bigs higher up than the traditional deeper drop that Maluach is used to. That play is more of what Ott wants in terms of a \u201cpickup point,\u201d so it was even more of a great moment with that in mind.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s another from that deeper spot where Doncic just guessed wrong:<\/p>\n

Maluach preventing another lob pic.twitter.com\/12RgMvgE5w<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Cage (@ridiculouscage) October 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Then on the other end, this is exactly what Suns fans have desired from the center position for many years. Maluach sets a high screen 30 feet from the basket, rolls hard and finishes off two steps without a dribble because he is a leviathan:<\/p>\n

MALUACH pic.twitter.com\/gjmjYKuNgX<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Cage (@ridiculouscage) October 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Again, as repeated in this space, it\u2019s going to be a while. As someone who has advocated for a level of proactiveness about player development, it would be shocking to see Maluach in the rotation opening night and the Suns would be sound with that choice.<\/p>\n

Young bigs are notorious for requiring some extra time to season and Maluach started playing basketball five years ago. Fans will have to be as patient as the organization will be, all while other rookies picked in Maluach\u2019s range are going to be popping early. The long-term process of his growth should prove to be worthwhile.<\/p>\n

But on the other side of that coin, the second most notable draft pick is a different story.<\/p>\n

If Fleming can be a half-decent shooter and moderately understand where to be within the Suns\u2019 offensive and defensive systems, he must play right away. It\u2019s one thing to hear about and watch videos of a 6-foot-9 prospect with a 7-foot-5 wingspan moving the way he does, but it\u2019s another to see it in person. It stands out amongst the best athletes in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like he\u2019s done it every time he\u2019s had extended run. \u2026 He shows flashes of that elite athleticism,\u201d Ott said. \u201cIt\u2019s our job and our responsibility just to get it more consistent. At times, he doesn\u2019t know where to go, what to do \u2014 he just needs to act. Just act, everything else we\u2019ll figure it out. If he over-works, that\u2019s OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jake LaRavia has been in the NBA for three years and turns the corner here seeing no one and expecting a clear path to the basket. All of a sudden, Fleming recovers using his ridiculous strides and agility, leaving LaRavia in a panic as he tumbles over himself to lose the ball like a buffoon, Daniel Jones-style:<\/p>\n

This might look like nothing but it is not nothing, as LaRavia\u2019s turnover indicates pic.twitter.com\/czMlYpmN7t<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) October 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

This is more direct and eye-opening in transition:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/t.co\/HbyRvQhsAG<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/BArlKcVCNa<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) October 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI just like making plays, whether it\u2019s offensively, defensively or little stuff like that,\u201d Fleming told Arizona Sports. \u201cI like impacting the game in whatever way I can.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Ott said, \u201cThat\u2019s instincts and we just have to keep encouraging him to bring that out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming had at least a dozen recoveries like this where you can see the upside he has as a multi-positional defender with true size for a wing.<\/p>\n

\u201c(He has) all the potential, all the intangibles,\u201d Brooks said after shootaround, noting he still has to \u201croughen him up a little bit\u201d to instill the mindset it takes to be defending the ball against the best scorers in the world.<\/p>\n

Phoenix would get obliterated by athletic teams for two straight years, and while this year\u2019s rotation has more pop, it still is lagging behind in the wing department. Fleming fixes that. The need for it along with the chance for him to offer what he does at least deserves a few opportunities to fail first in real games.<\/p>\n

A large component of this transition that rookies talk about all the time is how much more room there is in the NBA, both with the literal size of the court and how pace-and-space basketball opens everything up.<\/p>\n

That is tailor-made to benefit Fleming.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m getting used to it still but I like it more. It\u2019s so much space,\u201d Fleming said after shootaround. \u201cI\u2019m not used to having that much space to do what I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

We need to see what he can do.<\/p>\n

Fleming also knocked down a trio of 3s as part of his nine points and five rebounds. Complementary perimeter players in today\u2019s NBA are always working on multiple elements of shooting, not just in catch-and-shoot situations when the feet are set. That\u2019s because a good chunk of their attempts will come when on the move, whether it\u2019s stepping into the shot or sliding around the 3-point line.<\/p>\n

But when Fleming was doing none of that and just got a clean look, it looked money. This is some slight movement to his left with a natural hop. Cash.<\/p>\n

His usage as a screener, especially if shooting off the pop can sustain a bit, is *very* intriguing for multiple reasons https:\/\/t.co\/R61ATJmdgj<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GEiGd0UgWi<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Stephen PridGeon-Garner \ud83c\udfc1 (@StephenPG3) October 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

He noted postgame that there was a certain mechanical point of emphasis there, but at the same time, just let it fly with a clear mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, just not thinking too much about it,\u201d Fleming said of those makes to Arizona Sports, noting he doesn\u2019t even remember if that point of emphasis was correct on each bucket. \u201cI was just in a flow shooting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fleming took 159 triples in his final year at Saint Joseph\u2019s, improving his percentage to 39% after 32.4% on 105 tries as a sophomore the year prior. The rest of the offensive game will take time, including the basic \u201c0.5\u201d decisions on drives when he\u2019s forced off the line, so that shot has to go down.<\/p>\n

It was a tougher night for Brea, who shot 0-for-6 from deep with four points and five assists.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, roster hopefuls Jared Butler and Jordan Goodwin were outstanding. It was no small task to keep this offense in motion without all the key guys and they did a stellar job.<\/p>\n

Butler scored a game-high 35 points on 14-for-26 shooting with seven rebounds and nine assists while Goodwin added 24 points (10-of-20) with four rebounds and six assists.<\/p>\n

Butler and Goodwin are both on non-guaranteed salaries, with Butler on a training camp deal, and Phoenix is only at 13 guaranteed spots right now, so it could technically bring both into the regular season if it wanted to. The only problem is the Suns are doing that by design to avoid the tax.<\/p>\n

Goodwin\u2019s contract is only guaranteed for a little over $25,000 until mid-January, so that allows him to hang on the initial roster for a bit before those types of decisions come up, where taking on his full salary of over $2 million would push the Suns into tax territory. Butler could theoretically get signed to a similar weaving-the-margins-type of deal. Those calculations don\u2019t become finalized until the end of the season, so Phoenix could also choose to initially go over before sliding back under with some moves at the trade deadline, a common procedure in the NBA.<\/p>\n

Follow @KellanOlson<\/a><\/p>\n

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