The Houston Rockets, on behalf of the Suns, selected Duke center Khaman Maluach with the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, giving Phoenix a starting point as it moves on from the Kevin Durant era.

On Phoenix, he immediately projects as a rotation player, but likey not the starter. ESPN’s Shams Charania reports the Suns have also added Hornets center Mark Williams, dealing their No. 29 first-round choice and a 2029 first-rounder to Charlotte in that separate move.

The Suns also have backup center Nick Richards on the roster.

Houston was picking for the Phoenix after the Suns last week agreed to trade Durant there in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in this draft, plus five second-rounders. The trade will not be official until July 6.

What can Duke C Khaman Maluach contribute to the Phoenix Suns as their NBA Draft pick?

Maluach was widely projected to be off the board at No. 10 because of an athletic profile that matches some of the better shot-blocking centers of late. He measured at the NBA Combine at 7-foot, 3/4 inches without shoes with a 7-foot, 6.75-inch wingspan and 9-foot-6 standing reach.

It put him in the range of the Rudy Gobert archetype, but in how Duke used Maluach to defend perimeter players at times, there is intrigue about how well he survived on switches.

A South Sudanese refugee enrolled in an NBA Academy as a 14-year-old, he appeared at the 2023 FIBA World Cup playing for his home country at just 16, the third-youngest player ever to play in a FIBA World Cup event.

At Duke as a freshman last year, Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in 21.3 minutes per game. He shot 71% overall thanks to his rim-rolling excellence. Still, he tinkered with a three-point shot and hit 4 of 16 over the court of the season. His 77% free-throw accuracy adds to the thought that Maluach might have a chance to develop a jumper.

Phoenix chose Maluach over other bigs projected further down most big boards, including Maryland’s Derik Queen and Georgia’s Asa Newell. Arizona wing Carter Bryant was also in the range.

Maluach was only picked to go No. 10 in one of 23 mock drafts Arizona Sports surveyed this week since the Durant trade on Sunday.

The Suns also have the No. 52 pick (from Denver via Charlotte) and No. 59 (via Houston) are also picks owned by Phoenix.