Phoenix Suns rookie Khaman Maluach registered another double-double in the G League on Thursday, helping the Valley Suns to a win over the San Diego Clippers.
Maluach finished with 22 points, 19 rebounds, four blocked shots, two assists and one steal in the 121-118 victory at Mullett Arena in Tempe. He went 8-of-11 from the field and was a team-high plus-18 in 31 minutes as the Suns improved to 3-9.
The 7-footer tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds in the first half alone. He worked extensively in the paint, from cleaning up the glass to serving as a lob threat. He also helped protect the paint on the other end of the court by blocking shots and altering several others.
Maluach has played sporadically to begin the season with Phoenix, totaling 59 minutes across 12 appearances. Suns coach Jordan Ott has opted to go with Mark Williams, Oso Ighodaro and Nick Richards for his center rotation, leaving Maluach out of the mix.
The 10th pick logged his fifth appearance in the G League, averaging 16 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.8 blocks and 1.2 assists while shooting 59.2% shooting from the field. He has registered a double-double in three straight games with the group.
Maluach was highly touted out of Duke because of his size, defensive potential and ability to work down low. With playing time limited, the team will continue to explore opportunities for him in the G League to maximize his development this season.