Mavs' Cooper Flagg has clear prediction for Suns center
The Phoenix Suns have been one of the most active teams in the NBA following the conclusion of the regular season. It became clear quickly that Suns owner Mat Ishbia wasn't happy with how his team performed after they finished 36-46 and as the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference. The day after the season ended, the Suns announced that they were firing head coach Mike Budenholzer, despite four years and $40 million left on his deal.
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The changes kept coming, as Ishbia made a bold move by demoting James Jones from the general manager position and president of basketball operations to a senior advisor. He then promoted Brian Gregory to the role of general manager. Ishbia and Gregory's relationship goes back to their days at Michigan State, where Ishbia was a player and Gregory an assistant coach on the 2000 National Championship team.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker pushes the ball upcourt as Los Angeles Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. defends at Intuit Dome on Oct. 31, 2024.Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Mavs' Cooper Flagg has clear prediction for Suns center
Gregory got right to work. For months, it was speculated that the Suns were looking to move Kevin Durant and could've done so at the trade deadline, but ultimately held off. Just days before the 2025 NBA Draft, Gregory and the Suns executed a blockbuster trade.
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They sent Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick, and five second-round picks in what has since become a record-breaking seven-team trade. With the No. 10 pick, the Suns used it to bolster their frontcourt by selecting Duke center Khaman Maluach.
His former Duke teammate, Cooper Flagg, delivered a clear prediction for Maluach and the Suns.
'I love Khaman, he's like one of my best friends,' Flagg said. 'He's very versatile and he'll do a lot on the court. He's only been playing for four years, but I think he's going to be really successful.'
Flagg was the leader of the Duke team that made the Final Four in this past March Madness. Many pegged them as the favorites to win the championship, but gave away a lead late against Houston, which saw the Cougars prevail.
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The encouraging part about Maluach is that the Suns don't need him to be good right away. The Suns traded the No. 29 pick in the draft to the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams, who will almost surely get the starting minutes right away. That will allow Maluach to come along slowly and learn the NBA game, especially only played the sport for four years to this point.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
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