Former NBA player Channing Frye tuned into Tuesday’s game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Brooklyn Nets at Moda Center and was quite disgusted by the actions of one individual. Frye put the player on blast on X, calling for the Trail Blazers never to play him again.
“I’m watching the Blazer game and it is gross watching a certain player absolutely F*** OFF his minutes is unreal. Please stop playing this person Trailblazers.”
While Frye, who played for the Trail Blazers from 2007 to 2009, was trying to be nice by not calling out the player by name, it’s safe to assume he was referring to Deandre Ayton. Ayton has been accused of not giving enough effort one too many times in his career and that was the case against the Nets as well.
Ayton had just two points (1-4 FG) and eight rebounds against the Nets. Like Frye, Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups didn’t seem to like what he was seeing from the big man either.
Ayton was the only starter not to play at least 30 minutes against the Nets, as he was on the court for only 24. He played just eight minutes in the second half as the Trail Blazers dropped to 13-26 on the season after getting blown out 132-114.
This is not the first time this season that Billups decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to have Ayton out on the court for an extended period in the second half. He played the big man for just two minutes after halftime in their 141-99 loss to the Utah Jazz on Dec. 6. When asked about Ayton’s minutes postgame, Billups had a blunt response.
“I didn’t like his spirit in the game,” Billups said.
The fact that Ayton, who was selected with the first pick of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, continues to give minimal effort in games from time to time even after getting called out publicly is a shame. He has all the physical tools to be a force in the NBA but has a low motor.
It was a problem when Ayton was with the Suns and has been from the get-go with the Trail Blazers as well. Jason Quick of The Athletic reported that Ayton’s first months with the Trail Blazers were defined by tardiness and tantrums.
“Although his play has spiked for the better in the past month, his first months in Portland were defined by tardiness and tantrums according to team sources,” wrote Quick. “And there has been an eerie resemblance to Hassan Whiteside, the former Blazers’ center whose statistics looked nice, but had little to no impact on a game.”
Those instances where Ayton’s play spikes for the better just make the ones where he gives no effort all the more infuriating. You know he’s capable of so much more but just doesn’t deliver consistently. It was a big reason why the Suns weren’t too disappointed to part with him in 2023.
This past offseason, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported that the Trail Blazers are expected to trade Ayton at some point but no move has materialized so far. The 26-year-old is currently in the third year of a four-year, $132.9 million deal and that combined with his low motor might be why there hasn’t been much interest in his services.
The Trail Blazers might just be stuck with Ayton for the foreseeable future. He will be in action next when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers at Moda Center on Thursday at 10 PM ET.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
