​Phoenix Suns sophomore center Khaman Maluach is showing a lot of promise in NBA Summer League.In both of the Suns’ matchups thus far, Maluach has recorded a double-double. The potential he is displaying is leading some to question why the Suns decided to sign big man Mark Williams to a three-year, $38 million contract this offseason.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”bro is so good they gave Mark Williams an extension,” one user joked.Another fan posted, “Taking a leap as their 3rd string center! Lol.”These fans have the Maluach situation all wrong.Handing over the starting job to a 19-year-old who played just one collegiate season would be a huge mistake by Phoenix.Let’s use NFL quarterbacks as a comparison. Typically, when a rookie QB starts right away, they struggle much more compared to when they sit behind an established veteran for a season or two.The same logic should apply to the rotational relationship between Williams and Maluach.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAllowing Maluach to learn behind Williams and even Oso Ighodaro, who played four seasons in college with Marquette, is what’s best for the former Duke Blue Devil.There’s no doubt Maluach can evolve into a franchise building block for the Suns, but only if his development is handled properly and at the right pace. He had a limited role in his rookie campaign with Phoenix, averaging just 3.0 points and 2.9 rebounds on 53.3% shooting in 8.9 minutes in 46 appearances.Expect Suns coach Jordan Ott to expand his role at least a bit in the 2026-2027 season, but handing him the starting job should wait at least one more year.Williams is also not guaranteed to stick around for the entirety of his new contract, either. Suns insider John Gambadoro addressed this exact scenario on social media.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”The Mark Williams three-year contract is very tradeable especially if he plays well. He will start and when Maluach is ready whenever that may be Mark can either be a backup or be traded,” Gambadoro posted.Maluach has a high ceiling, there’s no denying that, but those who believe Williams is blocking his development have it all wrong.Join The SunsRoundtableHead over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the “Join” button at the top of the page… it’s completely FREE! You’ll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you’re asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app… that’s free too.Anthony Pasciolla is the publisher of SunsRoundtable. He can be reached via email at ampasciolla@gmail.com or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.