Pressure could be on Khaman Maluach as Suns' final piece in the Kevin Durant trade

The internet broke last night when it was announced that Kevin Durant had been traded to the Houston Rockets. While nobody was all that surprised to hear that Durant and his former team, the Phoenix Suns, had parted ways, nobody expected the trade to take place just moments before the NBA Championship game.

Now, the Suns have to fill a pretty big vacancy left by Durant's departure. Luckily, the trade included the No. 10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, putting Phoenix in a prime position to pluck a former Duke star from the draft class.

Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach soared up mock draft boards after an impressive freshman season and an even more notable performance at the 2025 NBA Combine. With the Durant trade, Maluach could add back the necessary height that the Suns are now missing.

It's pretty much a given that former Blue Devil Cooper Flagg will be the first to hear his name called on Wednesday night, most likely going to the Dallas Mavericks as the No. 1 overall pick. Former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel is also projected to go early in the first round, and now, Maluach could hear his name called within the first 10 picks as well.

To put it lightly, Maluach is a menace on the defensive end of the court. Standing at 7-foot-2, it is nearly impossible for opponents to get past the big man. During his singular season for the Blue Devils, Maluach amassed 3.8 defensive rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.

At the NBA Draft Combine, Maluach recorded the second-highest standing reach at 9-foot-6.5 and the longest wingspan in the class at 7-foot-6.75. Quite simply, he is massive and could perfectly step into the center-focused role that Durant played for the Suns.

The 2025 NBA Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 25, and the second round will take place the following evening. Flagg, Knueppel, and Maluach are just three of five former Blue Devils projected to hear their names called during the two rounds.