Deandre Ayton is still among the young stars of the NBA who want to build his brand on and off the court. He hopes a new situation in Portland allows him to fulfill his on-court potential, but he’s building himself up off the court really well. He recently appeared in the animated show ‘American Dad’ in a segment where a ‘Cameo’ from him is a gift given to an on-screen character.
“Hey Hayley! It’s me, Deandre Ayton. I heard you’re quite the hooper. Hope you have a great Christmas, dominate the paint, and protect the rim at all costs!”
Deandre Ayton makes a guest appearance on American Dad
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Ayton is becoming a popular name across the country even with eh setbacks he’s suffered on the court. The Phoenix Suns traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers this summer after a few seasons of high tension and unfulfilled potential. The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft has shown flashes of his promise but is yet to find consistency.
He’s averaging 11.9 points and 10.0 rebounds with the Blazers, underwhelming on the high expectations people had for him. It doesn’t look like he’ll be able to enter the conversation of the league’s most dominant big men anytime soon, but we’ll continue hoping he puts it together.
Did The Suns Give Up On Ayton Too Soon?
Deandre Ayton was locked into being a Phoenix Sun for three more years of his career entering the 2023 offseason, but the organization decided to swap him out for a more experienced and stable center like Jusuf Nurkic.
Nurkic is averaging 12.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, making the team’s center-play more dynamic with his distribution abilities. But Ayton had proven himself as someone who could walk to 18-10 season averages even without fulfilling his potential.
The situation with Monty Williams over the last two seasons made his time with the franchise uncomfortable but he could have had a rebirth under Frank Vogel. Vogel has always been able to extract talent from his big men, giving them a huge role in anchoring their defense. Within a more defined system, who knows what Ayton could’ve provided Phoenix this season. Vogel was excited about the prospect of playing him as well.
“I think he can be one of the best centers in the league. … There are still areas that he can grow offensively, but I’m intent on really connecting with him and restoring him to an All-Star level player.”
That potential is there, but the win-now Suns weren’t willing to wait. It also helped that Ayton allowed them to get Nurkic and Grayson Allen, which has helped generate a lot of value in the Suns lacking perimeter defense. Overall, the trade has worked well for Phoenix and if they end up missing out on an Ayton resurgence, they’ll live with the results.
Ayton hasn’t had a hot start in Portland but the team is far from figuring out his identity. it’s unclear if he’s part of the long-term future of the franchise.
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