Deandre Ayton discussion

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

this was one of the problems I had with Monty early when we went into our slump. It’s like dude ride the hot hand stop worrying about getting everyone minutes this team is to deep.

Agreed. It looks like he’s adapted.

 

[Cheesebeef]

since that great 4th quarter against the Pelicans, in the 9 games after, he's averaging 15 ppg and 7.5 rebounds. That's just not good enough. Has only rebounded in double digits in 5 of the last 13 games. At least the the beginning of the season, he was a beast on the boards and much better on D. But as the team has gotten better during this hot streak, Ayton has made less and less of an impact. Hell, he's only averaging 26 minutes per in the last 9 and we're starting to see him not even finish games.

Jones has such a tough decision this summer with Ayton and being eligible for that max deal. If he wasn't the 1st pick in a recent draft, I don't think anyone would be taking that possibility seriously.

 

[GatorAZ]

The Suns don’t need to do anything this summer. DA is the kind of player you need to see as much evidence you can before making that decision.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I didn’t think it was sending a message as much as playing the players who seemed to give him the best chance to win at the moment. That said, if I were deandre I would say to myself, “what can I do to ensure I’m one of those players, because I saw Booker and Paul out there and I’m supposed to be part of those players dominayton at end of games.” But I don’t think he possesses that self-awareness. Or least if he does, it doesn’t seem to serve as an internal motivator.

Totally agree with this. Saric was playing like an all-star. He was giving us the best chance of winning at the moment.

 

[elindholm]

Jones has such a tough decision this summer with Ayton and being eligible for that max deal. If he wasn't the 1st pick in a recent draft, I don't think anyone would be taking that possibility seriously.

I don't think maxing him out this summer is on the table. He's been a disappointment from the start and is trending downward. The Suns will still have his rights in the summer of 2022 if he manages to turn it around.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I don't think maxing him out this summer is on the table. He's been a disappointment from the start and is trending downward. The Suns will still have his rights in the summer of 2022 if he manages to turn it around.

Yep. Let him go to UFA if necessary. Match whatever offer he gets.

 

[elindholm]

Yep. Let him go to UFA if necessary. Match whatever offer he gets.

RFA, I think you mean. The earliest he could be a UFA is summer 2023.

 

[JCSunsfan]

RFA, I think you mean. The earliest he could be a UFA is summer 2023.

Yes. Thank you for correcting.

 

[95pro]

Noticed the last few games, maybe it’s just me, but does Ayton look like he’s adding more muscle on?

 

[Covert Rain]

But he's not one of the best bits in the league. This has been discussed many times, he's middle of the pack in PER amongst Centers and there are at least a half dozen C's who are much better than him like Jokic, Embiid, Gobert, Vucevic, Abedeyo, Sabonis, KAT, and Anthony Davis. Then there are guys like Capella, Valencunis, and Porzingis who are around the same level as him and a case could be made they're all better than he is. That barely allows him to be a top 10 C, at best.

Huh?!? Do you need me to post his stats again? He definitely is.

 

[Hoop Head]

Huh?!? Do you need me to post his stats again? He definitely is.

Go ahead and post the stats. I named 8 guys who are better than him and its not much a debate. All but KAT have been All-Stars within the last 2 seasons. So of 30 starting Centers, Ayton is no higher than 9th best in the league and I wouldn't say he's even that high. There are a number of other C's who are arguably better but the gap is smaller.

If he's so much better, why isn't he an All-Star and those others are? This isn't like Booker getting snubbed either. Ayton isn't even in the discussion of being an All-Star right now. He has the potential to be one someday but potential doesn't make you one of the top bigs in the league.

 

[sr7706]

Getting benched in the last minutes of games now in favor of Daric, not a good sign...

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Totally agree with this. Saric was playing like an all-star. He was giving us the best chance of winning at the moment.

Yeah after tonight I’ve changed my mind. Ayton not finishing 3 of 4 games and Monty saying Ayton being on the bench gives the suns the best opportunity to win absolutely IS sending a message to Ayton. I just don’t think Ayton gets it though.

 

[taz02]

Last nights game maybe a bit different. In previous games he sat because the team was winning and his replacement was playing well. Last nights message was, Hey we are getting our @$$ kicked, your replacement is playing poorly but putting you in will make matters worse. Its safe to say coach has lost confidence in DA. The question now is how will he respond.

 

[Hoop Head]

Last nights game maybe a bit different. In previous games he sat because the team was winning and his replacement was playing well. Last nights message was, Hey we are getting our @$$ kicked, your replacement is playing poorly but putting you in will make matters worse. Its safe to say coach has lost confidence in DA. The question now is how will he respond.

Which could help, if he responds well. He'll need to start earning trust back in practice and proving it in games. Consistency has always been an issue for him and it should require some consistency to get out of the dog house. Lets see if he can now, and how long it will take.

I don't believe anyone is rooting against him. I want to see him be the player that some claim he is as far as being one of the top bigs in the league and proving he can be a DominAyton force on floor. He has to want it more than use fans want it for him though.

 

[Covert Rain]

Go ahead and post the stats. I named 8 guys who are better than him and its not much a debate. All but KAT have been All-Stars within the last 2 seasons. So of 30 starting Centers, Ayton is no higher than 9th best in the league and I wouldn't say he's even that high. There are a number of other C's who are arguably better but the gap is smaller.

If he's so much better, why isn't he an All-Star and those others are? This isn't like Booker getting snubbed either. Ayton isn't even in the discussion of being an All-Star right now. He has the potential to be one someday but potential doesn't make you one of the top bigs in the league.

I would say top 10 which he is in multiple categories is one of the best. Anybody who is in the top 3rd of the league at his position is one of the best. [emoji23]

Nobody is calling him a world beater or Superstar. Nobody is saying he has played up to potential yet. Nobody is saying there are not better players. Nobody is saying his head still isn’t where it needs to be. Just stop.

You realize you can acknowledge that he has not lived up to the hype but still give him credit right?!? It’s less painful than you think.

 

[Covert Rain]

Yeah after tonight I’ve changed my mind. Ayton not finishing 3 of 4 games and Monty saying Ayton being on the bench gives the suns the best opportunity to win absolutely IS sending a message to Ayton. I just don’t think Ayton gets it though.

That’s what kills me about Ayton. He has displayed over and over that he needs to learn things the hard way. His judgment has been suspect from day one. If anything holds him back for living up to potential it’s going to be that dude’s head.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

That’s what kills me about Ayton. He has displayed over and over that he needs to learn things the hard way. His judgment has been suspect from day one. If anything holds him back for living up to potential it’s going to be that dude’s head.

100%

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The Wizard of Oz, 2021 edition:

Scarecrow: if I only had a brain
Tin man: if I only had a heart
Cowardly Lion: if I only had courage
Ayton: if I only had balls

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Wizard of Oz, 2021 edition:

Scarecrow: if I only had a brain
Tin man: if I only had a heart
Cowardly Lion: if I only had courage
Ayton: if I only had balls

uh... isn’t Ayton ALL those guys?

 

[elindholm]

Can the Suns trade Ayton straight up for Jaxson Hayes? OMG.

 

[Dr. Jones]

The Wizard of Oz, 2021 edition:

Scarecrow: if I only had a brain
Tin man: if I only had a heart
Cowardly Lion: if I only had courage
Ayton: if I only had balls

uh... isn’t Ayton ALL those guys?

100/100

 

[taz02]

I think Monty and the players, (Booker and CP3), have reached the end of their patience. They've tried teaching, coddling and confidence building and now we are on to tough love. The next few games are going to go a long way in determining Ayton's future. He is either going to fold or come out fighting. I can't wait to see how it goes.

Also, the weak drive and lack of hustle on the following play, (puss play) in and of itself wasn't earth shatteringly horrible, but that sequence was a clear and instant summation of his frustrating failures to date.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I would say top 10 which he is in multiple categories is one of the best. Anybody who is in the top 3rd of the league at his position is one of the best. [emoji23]

Nobody is calling him a world beater or Superstar. Nobody is saying he has played up to potential yet. Nobody is saying there are not better players. Nobody is saying his head still isn’t where it needs to be. Just stop.

You realize you can acknowledge that he has not lived up to the hype but still give him credit right?!? It’s less painful than you think.

WTF? Top 10 in a league where there's only 30 starters is NOT of the best. Being in the 33 percentile of a particular group would NEVER get you considered amongst the best in ANYTHING. I mean, do you see a lot of people celebrating scholastically for being in the top third of their class? And we're talking about a league where there aren't that many good centers to begin with and falls off a cliff after the top 12.

he's fine. puts up nice stats. but he has made less and less of an impact as the season's gone on, and as the team got hotter and hotter, saw his minutes get less and less, now to the point that he's not even finishing games in 3 of the last 4.

 

[elindholm]

Can the Suns trade Ayton straight up for Jaxson Hayes? OMG.

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