Clutch Sports Power Play: How Rich Paul Blocked Brooklyn From Drafting Khaman Maluach and Opened the Door for Phoenix
In the landscape of professional basketball, power isn’t just held by players, coaches, or general managers. Increasingly, agents and agencies have seized a formidable share of influence in shaping not only individual careers but also the broader architecture of the league. Rich Paul, founder of Klutch Sports Group and long considered one of the most powerful figures in the NBA, once again reminded the league of this dynamic during the 2025 NBA Draft. The move in question? A reported phone call to the Brooklyn Nets that convinced them not to draft Duke’s towering prospect Khaman Maluach — a move that ultimately paved the way for the Phoenix Suns to land the 7-foot-2 defensive phenom.
Maluach, the South Sudanese center and former Duke star, entered the 2025 NBA Draft as one of its most tantalizing prospects. He had size, instincts, and defensive awareness that had scouts drooling. Most mock drafts projected him to land somewhere between picks No. 4 and No. 8, with Brooklyn sitting firmly at No. 6. The Nets, who had spent the last two seasons stuck in a rebuild spiral following the departures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, were in desperate need of a franchise-altering talent — and Maluach looked like the perfect fit.
But then, as often happens behind the scenes of the NBA, things shifted. League insiders soon began to murmur about a call that changed everything. Rich Paul, Maluach’s representative through Klutch Sports, reportedly reached out to the Brooklyn Nets’ front office just days before the draft. The message was loud and clear: “Don’t take him.”
To fans, this may sound like madness. Why would an agent tell a team not to draft their client — especially when that team holds a top-10 pick? But in the business of basketball, optics and long-term planning are everything. Paul has built a reputation not just for negotiating massive contracts, but for carefully selecting the environments where his clients can thrive both on and off the court. Klutch clients don’t just get agents — they get a career blueprint.
According to multiple league sources, Paul made it known that Maluach’s camp did not view Brooklyn as an ideal fit, citing concerns about player development infrastructure, front office direction, and limited star mentorship. While the Nets did have Mikal Bridges and a few promising pieces, their lack of elite veteran presence and recent coaching turnover were red flags.
The Suns, on the other hand, were a different story altogether. Despite picking lower in the lottery — No. 9 overall — Phoenix had a unique mix of veteran talent, including Kevin Durant (should he remain), Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. More importantly, they were still seen as a win-now team, even amid uncertainty. For a young center like Maluach, joining a team with title aspirations and strong leadership could accelerate his development in ways that Brooklyn simply couldn’t offer.
And it worked. Whether by direct influence or simple intimidation, Brooklyn passed on Maluach at No. 6. Instead, they selected a wing player — a safe but uninspired pick, one more aligned with team needs and lower risk. Teams in the 7th and 8th slots had different positional priorities, and by the time the Suns were on the clock, Maluach was still available. Phoenix, reportedly thrilled by the opportunity, didn’t hesitate.
This isn’t the first time Rich Paul has exerted such leverage. From orchestrating Anthony Davis’ departure from New Orleans to engineering LeBron James’ supporting casts over the years, Paul’s influence has routinely shifted power in the NBA. Critics argue that this kind of interference undermines the fairness of the draft process, giving too much power to agents and players before they’ve even stepped foot on an NBA court. Advocates counter that Paul is simply doing what’s best for his clients — ensuring that talented young men are not thrown into dysfunctional environments that could stall or derail their careers.
In Maluach’s case, the argument seems valid. By all accounts, his skillset fits well with Phoenix’s needs. The Suns were in desperate need of size, rim protection, and youth to balance their aging core. Maluach offers all three. And in return, the rookie finds himself entering a locker room full of championship experience and offensive firepower — an environment where he can grow without being expected to carry the burden immediately.
On draft night, Maluach was all smiles. “I’m ready,” he said in a brief interview. “It’s about opportunity and learning. I’m going to work.” His presence in the Suns’ system offers head coach Mike Budenholzer new tactical flexibility, especially on defense. While it’s unclear whether Maluach will start from day one, early projections suggest he’ll quickly find minutes off the bench — perhaps even displacing underperforming veterans by midseason.
The Nets, meanwhile, find themselves in a familiar position — a franchise trying to tread water while swimming against the current. By passing on Maluach, they may have played it safe, but they also may have passed on their next star big man. Only time will tell.
What’s indisputable, however, is the outsized role agents like Rich Paul continue to play in shaping the NBA. This latest episode with Maluach and Brooklyn isn’t an anomaly — it’s the norm. Top agents are no longer just contract negotiators; they are career architects, PR strategists, and talent gatekeepers.
Some fans and analysts are uncomfortable with this dynamic, especially when it results in perceived power imbalances or calls into question the legitimacy of the draft process. But to others, it’s simply evolution — the natural result of players and their representatives reclaiming autonomy in a business that has historically treated athletes as commodities. Rich Paul didn’t break the system; he’s just mastered it better than most.
There’s also the matter of precedent. For international players like Maluach — who, despite his collegiate career at Duke, still comes with the cultural and logistical challenges of being from outside the U.S. — situation matters even more. Klutch’s decision to steer him away from an unstable situation and toward a more nurturing one may have less to do with power plays and more to do with maximizing both performance and mental health.
Maluach is only 18 years old, and his ceiling is sky-high. If he fulfills even half of his potential in Phoenix, Klutch Sports and Rich Paul will look like visionaries. If he flames out, critics will no doubt revisit the decision to spurn Brooklyn and ask whether too much power was concentrated in one agent’s hands.
Until then, the story stands as yet another reminder that in the NBA, nothing — not even the draft — is free from politics, power, and persuasion. Rich Paul understood the stakes. He made a call. And now, a 7-foot-2 teenager with dreams of greatness will begin his career not in Brooklyn, but under the desert sun of Phoenix — with all eyes watching.
And if Maluach rises as expected, don’t be surprised if more agents follow suit, treating draft night not as a final destination but as a chessboard — with each piece moved with calculated precision and long-term vision.
