2025 Draft Night Picks Discussion

[BobbieL]

Interesting info here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AtlantaHawks/comments/1kq8ucs/khaman_maluach_tested_terribly_at_the_combine/

He's still 18 so he has room to grow and gain strength it's more the intangibles and basketball IQ that has me concerned.

I don't want another Bol Bol.

I’ve stated it before. Projects never work. But mostly Low IQ. Every draft profile on him is low IQ. That’s very worrisome. By every report, super nice kid and a great team cheerleader but the scouting does cause some beads of sweat for worry. This pick was super important for the future Ishbia envisions to keep Booker around. If this pick doesn’t work out, this could put this team into a deeper hole for longer.

Maybe he is part of a bigger trade …

But the Not Traxxe thing might be inaccurate… like most rumors

[lilfishi22]

Im rooting hard for him but I'm a little concerned about the pick tbh

Likewise.....I'm maybe a bit more than a little concerned. Maluach just isn't the type of prospect I generally like. I'm not against projects per se but hes a complete unknown on the offensive end and almost starting from zero

[thamadkant]

Interesting info here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AtlantaHawks/comments/1kq8ucs/khaman_maluach_tested_terribly_at_the_combine/

To be frank Jokic and Luka would also look horrible in combines

[KdoubleDees23]

Trade up our 2 - 2nds and future 2nds to get Fleming. Make it happen.

Come out of draft night with Fleming, Maluah, and Mark Williams would be huge.

[thamadkant]

Now I want suns to re sign Bol Bol so to see a Maluach Bol front court

[KdoubleDees23]

Not going to lie though. I am all for Mark Williams. But I would rather have had Fleming here for the Suns.

Fleming, Maluah would have been legit for this draft.

Booker / Gillespie
Green / Beal
Brooks / Allen
Dunn / ONeale/ Fleming
Richards / Maluah / OSO

Add some veterans and do a couple trades, and that will be a fun team

[Sunsdeuce]

Interesting info here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AtlantaHawks/comments/1kq8ucs/khaman_maluach_tested_terribly_at_the_combine/

To be frank Jokic and Luka would also look horrible in combines

But they were also scouted as having high IQ. Maluach is scouted as having low Iq. I’ll take an unathletic High IQ player all day.

[KdoubleDees23]

Interesting info here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AtlantaHawks/comments/1kq8ucs/khaman_maluach_tested_terribly_at_the_combine/

To be frank Jokic and Luka would also look horrible in combines

But they were also scouted as having high IQ. Maluach is scouted as having low Iq. I’ll take an unathletic High IQ player all day.

Dang - you already finding a way to hate on our new rookie vs cheer him on. "How is that even a fan"

[dremill24]

Well at least we know the Suns won't be giving up any 1sts to get off Beal if something does happen in that front

[lilfishi22]

My other worry (partly because we didn't take KJ) is we now have 3-4 C's (including Oso here) who are almost completely reliant on high level playmakers to get them involved offensively which we don't have. I've watched Book long enough to know he's more of a kick out or skip pass type of playmaker and not the consistent find the big man type.

[BurningHeart]

My biggest fear is that the Suns are historically a high octane offense. We haven't had a good, efficient offense since I stopped watching regularly. In 2009 we bought into the dumb narrative that defense was our issue, not rebounding. If this guy is a defensive player, can he also rebound? Does he have that nose and hunger for the ball?

That's the most important thing. We are practically devoid of high IQ, offensive players who can distribute, space, shoot and RUN.

I mean, you know, you gotta have big guys. I'm just hoping we aren't just throwing all historical franchise identity into the ****. We haven't built with that mind in ages.

[lilfishi22]

On the positives

He could very well have floor raising potential because he has the ability to raise our defensive floor considerably. He's a fantastic rim protector, ball movement disruptor and has shown to navigate the PnR on defense really well too. If the ultra high end comp is say....Rudy Gobert for example, he could do a lot of what Gobert does defensively (maybe not to the same level) but he may also be good at what Gobert isn't good at and that's defending in space etc. He may be able to survive on the switch more often than Gobert.

I think Clint Capela with a good FT shot is not a bad comp for him, the key difference is that Capela has basically had his career made by playing alongside some of the best passers the league has ever seen in James Harden and Trae Young. Maluach won't have that luxury unfortunately

[Sunsdeuce]

On the positives

He could very well have floor raising potential because he has the ability to raise our defensive floor considerably. He's a fantastic rim protector, ball movement disruptor and has shown to navigate the PnR on defense really well too. If the ultra high end comp is say....Rudy Gobert for example, he could do a lot of what Gobert does defensively (maybe not to the same level) but he may also be good at what Gobert isn't good at and that's defending in space etc. He may be able to survive on the switch more often than Gobert.

I think Clint Capela with a good FT shot is not a bad comp for him, the key difference is that Capela has basically had his career made by playing alongside some of the best passers the league has ever seen in James Harden and Trae Young. Maluach won't have that luxury unfortunately

Secure a great Point Guard and a lot of worries go away. Point Book will degrade any potential this kid may have.

[bigfoot]

Wondering if Mark Williams has been working out at the Suns practice facility? It is interesting that his twitter location says "In the Lab"

[sunsbum]

He's still 18 so he has room to grow and gain strength it's more the intangibles and basketball IQ that has me concerned.

I don't want another Bol Bol.

I’ve stated it before. Projects never work. But mostly Low IQ. Every draft profile on him is low IQ. That’s very worrisome. By every report, super nice kid and a great team cheerleader but the scouting does cause some beads of sweat for worry. This pick was super important for the future Ishbia envisions to keep Booker around. If this pick doesn’t work out, this could put this team into a deeper hole for longer.

Maybe he is part of a bigger trade …

But the Not Traxxe thing might be inaccurate… like most rumors

Traxxe doesn’t know anything. Why do people keep referencing him. He was laughably wrong today.

[Biff]

We continue to make headscratching movies. Malauch doesn't seem mobile enough to play rim runner/rim protector role. I don't see this guy being a rotational NBA player. He won't be able to stay on the court, teams will just hunt for endlessly. Mark Williams has far too many injury red flags to waste 2 1st rounders on.

This franchise is run by absolute clowns with no idea how to build a team in 2025.

[TeamTragic]

We continue to make headscratching movies. Malauch doesn't seem mobile enough to play rim runner/rim protector role. I don't see this guy being a rotational NBA player. He won't be able to stay on the court, teams will just hunt for endlessly. Mark Williams has far too many injury red flags to waste 2 1st rounders on.

This franchise is run by absolute clowns with no idea how to build a team in 2025.

Imagine addressing the center position and then having to read idiotic posts by someone who hates this franchise.

You will never be happy and I suggest you find another team. Do yourself and everyone on this board a favor.

[garrick]

We continue to make headscratching movies. Malauch doesn't seem mobile enough to play rim runner/rim protector role. I don't see this guy being a rotational NBA player. He won't be able to stay on the court, teams will just hunt for endlessly. Mark Williams has far too many injury red flags to waste 2 1st rounders on.

This franchise is run by absolute clowns with no idea how to build a team in 2025.

I would have been happier if we got him at 15 or later not necessarily at #10 though.

Would have been nice to keep the #29 and add another forward or even a PG but maybe the front office can trade a few of the 2nd to move up in the 2nd round tomorrow? At least we plugged one gaping hole now off to plug the other holes somehow.

[thamadkant]

I’ve stated it before. Projects never work. But mostly Low IQ. Every draft profile on him is low IQ. That’s very worrisome. By every report, super nice kid and a great team cheerleader but the scouting does cause some beads of sweat for worry. This pick was super important for the future Ishbia envisions to keep Booker around. If this pick doesn’t work out, this could put this team into a deeper hole for longer.

Maybe he is part of a bigger trade …

But the Not Traxxe thing might be inaccurate… like most rumors

Traxxe doesn’t know anything. Why do people keep referencing him. He was laughably wrong today.

Trade is not done yet.

Durant is technically a Sun until 2 weeks time.

[lilfishi22]

We continue to make headscratching movies. Malauch doesn't seem mobile enough to play rim runner/rim protector role. I don't see this guy being a rotational NBA player. He won't be able to stay on the court, teams will just hunt for endlessly. Mark Williams has far too many injury red flags to waste 2 1st rounders on.

This franchise is run by absolute clowns with no idea how to build a team in 2025.

I would have been happier if we got him at 15 or later not necessarily at #10 though.

Would have been nice to keep the #29 and add another forward or even a PG but maybe the front office can trade a few of the 2nd to move up in the 2nd round tomorrow? At least we plugged one gaping hole now off to plug the other holes somehow.

To be fair, from a lot of places I've looked at, including in the NBA draft forum on RealGM, he's pretty consistently been mocked to go before #10 and as high as in the top 5 (I don't agree but I've seen it). So #10 isn't really a stretch for him and most expected him to go in the top 10 anyway. But regardless if we got him at #10 or #15, he's still not my favourite type of prospect.