Suns GM explains why the team picked Khaman Maluach in NBA draft
The Phoenix Suns’ general manager emphasized the reasons that led the team to pick Duke center Khaman Maluach No. 10 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Phoenix Suns‘ main rebuild objectives for next year are to get younger, stay competitive and cut costs from their disappointing league-high $400 million roster, which was far past the league’s second tax apron last season.
Since June 22, the Suns’ new general manager, Brian Gregory, spearheaded five trades before and during the NBA Draft on June 25-26. That string of transactions began with sending the Suns’ top scorer and future Hall of Famer, Kevin Durant, to the Houston Rockets. The Suns received two Houston starters in return, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, along with the No. 10 overall pick and five future second-round picks.
The Suns fulfilled their plan to add more frontcourt youth with that No. 10 pick. They selected one of college basketball’s top centers, 7-foot-1 freshman Khaman Maluach, who helped lead Duke to this year’s Final Four with the Dallas Mavericks‘ No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Also on the draft’s first day, the Suns traded their No. 29 pick, backup guard Vasa Micic, and a 2029 first-round pick to Charlotte for another big, Mark Williams.
The next day, the Suns moved up from their No. 52 and 59 picks by dealing them to Golden State for No. 41, using it to draft Kentucky shooting guard Koby Brea. They also acquired the No. 31 pick from Minnesota for No. 36, after they traded two future second-round picks to Brooklyn for that 36th pick. With that, they selected Saint Joseph’s big Rasheer Fleming.
The NBA free-agency period begins on Monday, June 30, when teams can begin talking with players. July 6 is the first day deals can be made.
Here’s a look at where the Suns’ current roster of 11 players under contract stands ahead of the free-agency period. Also listed are players whose contracts are expiring and will be free agents this summer.
Devin Booker
Position, height: Shooting guard, 6 feet, 6 inches
Age/pro experience: 28/10 seasons, four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection
2024-25 stats: 25.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, career-high and team-best 7.1 assists, 0.9 steals, .461/.332/.894 splits
Career averages: 24.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, .464/.354/.873
Salary for next season: $53.1 million
Contract status: Entering second of four-year, $220.4 million super max deal; eligible for two-year, $150 million extension on July 6
Bradley Beal
Position, height: Shooting guard, 6 feet, 4 inches
Age/pro experience: 32/13 seasons, three-time All-Star
2024-25 stats: 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, shooting splits .497/.386/.803 through 53 games
Career averages: 21.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, .464/.376/.821
Salary for next season: $53,666,270
Contract status: Entering fourth of five-year, $251 million deal, $57.1 million player option for 2026-27 season. Contract has a no-trade clause
Grayson Allen
Position, height: Shooting guard, 6 feet, 4 inches
Age/pro experience: 29/seven seasons
2024-25 stats: 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, .448/.426/.816 through 64 games and seven starts
Career averages: 10.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, .451/.414/.857
Salary for next season: $16,875,000
Contract status: Entering second of four-year, $70 million deal, $19,375,000 player option for 2027-28 season
Royce O’Neale
Position, height: Small forward, 6 feet, 4 inches
Age/pro experience: 32/eight seasons
2024-25 stats: Career-best 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals, .423/.406/.731 shooting splits through 75 games and 22 starts
Career averages: 7.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, .426/.385/.770
Salary for next season: $10.1 million
Contract status: Entering second of four-year, $42 million deal
Nick Richards
Position, height: Center, 7 feet
Age/pro experience: 27/five seasons
2024-25 stats: 9.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, 60.5% shooting through 36 games, 34 starts for Suns (Traded from Charlotte Hornets to Suns on Jan. 15)
Career averages: 7.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 64% FG
Salary for next season: $5 million, fully guaranteed on June 29
Contract status: Entering final of three-year, $15 million deal; becomes unrestricted free agent after next season
Ryan Dunn
Position, height: Small forward, 6 feet, 6 inches
Age/pro experience: 22/one season
2024-25 stats: 6.9 points, 3.6 rebounds through 74 games and 44 starts
Salary for next season: $2,657,760
Contract status: Entering second of four-year, $13 million rookie deal
Oso Ighodaro
Position, height: Center, 6 feet, 10 inches
Age/pro experience: 22/one year
2024-25 stats: 4.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Salary for next season: $1,955,377
Contract status: Entering second of four-year, $7,895,796 rookie deal
Cody Martin
Position, height: Wing, 6 feet, 5 inches
Age/pro experience: 29/six seasons
2024-25 stats: career lows 3.7 points and 14.7 minutes per game for Suns, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 steals (Traded by Hornets to Suns on Feb. 6)
Career averages: 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals
Salary for next season: $8.68 million, fully guaranteed on June 30
Contract status: Entering final of four-year, $31.36 million deal; becomes UFA next year
Jalen Green
Position, height: Shooting guard, 6 feet, 4 inches
Age/pro experience: 23/four years
2024-25 stats: 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.9 steals, .423/.354/.813, started all 82 games
Career averages: 20.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.8 steals, .422/.342/.799
Salary for next season: $33.3 million
Contract status: Entering the first of his three-year, $105.3 million deal with player option for $36 million in 2027-28
Dillon Brooks
Position, height: Wing, 6 feet, 6 inches
Age/pro experience: 29, eight years
2024-25 stats: 14.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, .429/.397/.818 shooting splits through 75 games, all starts
Career averages: 14.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 steals, .419/.355/.804
Salary for next season: $21.1 million
Contract status: Entering the third of a four-year, $86 million deal
Mark Williams
Position, height: Center, 7 feet
Age/pro experience: 23/three years
2024-25 stats: career highs 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks, through 44 games
Career averages: 12.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 blocks
Salary for next season: $6.2 million
Contract status: Entering final year of four-year, $18 million rookie deal
Free agents
Players who were on Suns roster last season that will be free agents this summer: Bol Bol, Tyus Jones, Mason Plumlee, Monte Morris, Damion Lee, Collin Gillespie, TyTy Washington Jr., Jalen Bridges. (Gillespie, Washington and Bridges were on one-year two-way contracts.)