Khaman Maluach moved into the starting five and produced his strongest showing of the preseason, finishing with 10 points and 15 rebounds in a 102-98 win over the Spurs on Saturday.
Maluach, a South Sudanese centre, played 23 minutes and shot 4-9 from the field, 1-2 from three-point range and 1-1 from the free-throw line. He added three assists, one steal and one block to complete the double-double.
The switch saw Oso Ighodaro return to the bench and gave Maluach a clear opportunity with Mark Williams sidelined indefinitely by a shoulder injury. The two big men are now competing for meaningful minutes in the rotation, with Maluach's first start underlining his growing role.
Even if he returns to the bench, Maluach is shaping up as a target for fantasy managers in the late rounds of drafts.
