The Phoenix Suns' Summer League squad fell to 1-1 during their time in Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon after falling to the New Orleans Pelicans in a competitive 81-75 contest.
Phoenix showed great fortitude on Friday by coming back to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers, but didn't quite bridge the gap on Sunday. There were still several key takeaways to come out of the loss, including encouraging signs from two of the most celebrated players from the young core.
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Suns Frontcourt Impresses
The duo of Koa Peat and Khaman Maluach has been the bright spot of Phoenix's two-game run thus far. Maluach has displayed an impressive blend of ball-handling, nifty rim protection, and a shooting touch that has clearly improved over the last year. The Duke product finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks on Sunday, while also avoiding turning the ball over in what was another major stride.
Peat has provided moments of brilliance and frustration over his first two games as a pro, but the positives have reinforced exactly why the Suns showed faith in him to begin with. The former Arizona Wildcat has been conspicuously stronger than the majority of his competition - fearlessly pressuring the rim and finishing at a respectable clip. Beyond this, Peat has also shown some playmaking chops and a consistent motor on the defensive side of the ball.
Koby Brea's Struggles: Cause for Concern?
Brea has had a pair of rough performances thus far in the midst of re-upping with the Suns on a two-way deal.
The Kentucky alum dropped just two points on 1-10 shooting (0-6 from three-point range), which has compounded a concern that his game isn't translating to the pro level as effectively as previously anticipated.
It's too early to give up on Brea, but it's also a challenge to turn a blind eye to the recent struggles. One can only hope that the Phoenix coaching staff will play a hand in leading the sharpshooter back to greener pastures.
Guard Potentially Playing Way Onto Team
Darius Brown II entered this run having only played in one NBA game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The mid-major guard was the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 - further elevating his skills on that end over the last several days for Phoenix.
Beyond the defensive prowess has been a shocking development as a bucket-getter. Brown scored 18 points on Sunday, including three knockdowns from beyond the arc that catalyzed the Suns' offense.
While Brown remains in an uphill climb to earn a roster spot, he is positioning himself to earn consideration to receive one of the other two-way contract slots with the franchise.
The Suns are set to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night in game three of five for the summer.
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Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.