Development was the plan. So why is Maluach watching from the bench?

John Voita analyzes the Phoenix Suns' substitution patterns regarding second-year center Khaman Maluach following the team's 1-5 start to the season. Despite the franchise emphasizing player development over the summer and dealing with Mark Williams' shoulder surgery, head coach Jordan Ott has repeatedly benched Maluach midway through the third quarter, leaving him without fourth-quarter minutes across three consecutive games.

While on-off rebounding statistics show Phoenix was out-rebounded by 11 with Maluach on the court over those three games, Voita argues that short-term metric deficits should not outweigh long-term development. The writer contends that the Suns should grant the young center fourth-quarter opportunities to learn through mistakes rather than continually limiting his playing time during losses.