Why the Suns Didn’t Let Their Second-Year Players Rest During Summer League

The Phoenix Suns took a different approach to the NBA Summer League. While other teams sat their top draft picks and second-year players, the Suns kept Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming on the floor. And they dominated.

Maluach averaged nearly 20 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and a steal per game. He was the most imposing player in Vegas. Fleming didn’t put up the same numbers, but his defense and a developing offensive game turned heads. The Suns’ consolation game against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday gives them one last look before the offseason really starts.

The decision to play them wasn’t just about winning Summer League games. Phoenix coach Chaisson Allen, who worked with both players last season, sees these games as a shortcut to Year 2 readiness.

“All trying to expedite the process for them,” Allen said after Monday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks. “It’s coming into their second year. Again, can we speed up the process where now they’re making these in-game situations that we had tonight? Can they carry that over and be trusted in those situations in season? So any action that they ever see in these settings is very useful for their development.”

Allen has a point. Summer League is usually treated like a JV tournament. Teams prioritize player reps over results. But Phoenix went a step further. They treated it like a lab for real NBA situations.

Maluach looked like the kind of big man who could help a team right now. He moved well in space, protected the rim and finished around the basket with a confidence he didn’t show as a rookie. Fleming, meanwhile, guarded multiple positions and hit enough open threes to suggest his floor spacing could become legit.

The Suns are betting that playing these guys heavy minutes now pays off in October. If Maluach and Fleming can step into larger roles after a full summer of live action, it’s a bet that could look smart real quick.

Phoenix doesn’t have the luxury of slow development. Their win-now window is open. So while other teams let their young players sleep in, the Suns kept theirs working.