Mark Williams headlines the Phoenix Suns’ ongoing trade whirlwind, which began with Kevin Durant’s weekend transfer and continued with a draft-night deal on Wednesday.
Phoenix also added another big man, with the Houston Rockets selecting 7-foot-2 centre Khaman Maluach from Duke at No. 10. He will be sent to the Suns along with Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and five second-round picks as part of the Durant deal, according to sources.
Charlotte is obtaining Vasilije Micic as part of the Mark Williams trade, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks and other sources. Micic was moved to Phoenix in February as part of the Jusuf Nurkic transaction. Phoenix will exercise Micic’s team option worth $8.1 million, according to sources.
The Hornets selected guard Liam McNeeley from UConn with the 29th overall pick.
Maluach Ready to Join Suns, Learn from Mark Williams
Maluach, 18, averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks while starting all 39 games for Duke, which advanced to the Final Four. Mark Williams, a fellow Duke alumnus, averaged 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks last season, his third in the league since being drafted No. 15 by Charlotte in 2022.
Maluach, who was given a Rockets hat to wear after getting drafted while the trade was still pending, discussed his future destination in Phoenix.
“I’m excited to put on the Phoenix jersey that has my name, that has ‘Maluach’ on the back,” said the player to the media. “I’m excited to play for the Suns and step on the floor.”
Maluach, who was born in South Sudan but did not start playing basketball until 2019 in Uganda, burst into tears after hearing NBA commissioner Adam Silver say his name.
“It just makes me proud because I had beliefs,” Maluach remarked. “I believe in myself. I was deluded about my dreams. It demonstrates that you can win even when the odds are stacked against you.
When approached about the idea of collaborating with Mark Williams, Khaman Maluach expressed optimism and interest, recognizing the unique opportunity it would provide. As two young, skilled, big guys with separate but complementary skill sets, Maluach was fascinated by the prospect of playing alongside Mark Williams. He discussed how their combined presence in the paint may build a powerful defensive wall while also providing fresh offensive opportunities for the squad. Maluach stressed that studying from an NBA veteran with a strong physical presence, such as Mark Williams, would be a vital aspect of his development.
“Mark has been in the league for a couple of years, and I’m going to learn a lot from him,” he told me. “I’m going to learn how to navigate and how to get better and what stuff I need to do to be able to play throughout the whole year and get better.”
The Mark Williams deal comes five months after the 23-year-old big man’s trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was cancelled after he failed a physical. The Lakers included rookie Dalton Knecht, experienced swingman Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round selection, and a 2030 pick swap in the trade.
Injuries, with 44 games, have marred Mark Williams’ career played this season, setting a career-high. He is eligible for a contract renewal this summer.
Maluach and Mark Williams will be entrusted with strengthening the centre for a Suns squad that ranked 27th in defensive rating in 2024-25. Jordan Ott, the Suns’ new coach, formerly worked as an assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he helped steer the Cavs to the NBA’s eighth-best defensive rating, led by big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
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