This summer, it was all but guaranteed that Deandre Ayton would be traded from the Suns. But as the days turned into weeks, both Phoenix and Ayton had to accept the reality that he wasn’t going anywhere. Before long, the Suns announced their intentions to keep Ayton and the fans are holding their breath to see what kind of performance he’ll turn in next season.
Either way, Ayton has become somewhat of a controversial figure in Arizona and things have apparently gotten so bad that Suns GM James Jones had to come out and defend his player from the flurry of criticisms that have come his way.
“He’s an 18 and 10 player and if you were to ask the games greatest players how easy it is to do that, they’ll tell you it’s extremely difficult, but even that bar isn’t high enough for him and others,” said Jones to Suns beat writer Duane Rankin.
"He’s an 18 and 10 player and if you were to ask the game’s greatest players how easy it is to do that, they’ll tell you it’s extremely difficult, but even that bar isn’t high enough for him and others.” James Jones on Deandre Ayton #Suns
Full story here: https://t.co/VYOki3X6b4 pic.twitter.com/kQIFAYP7Pf
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) July 22, 2023
As a former no. 1 overall pick, there is no question that Ayton has some serious talent and he’d be an instant upgrade at center for most teams in the league. The issue with the big fella has always been about energy and effort, which are areas he has struggled to master since joining the league.
Does Ayton Deserve The Hate?
For Suns fans, Ayton is a fine player but he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations. To start, DA was supposed to be a future franchise star for the organization but after years with the team, he looks more of an odd man out than anything else.
Despite his best efforts to combat the narrative, it’s likely Ayton will continue to be the subject of trade talks.
“I can feel the whole world hating me in a way,” Ayton said, via Arizona Republic. “I’m the guy a lot of people point at and I see it and feel it, but mainly what I’ve been working on five to six days a week since we’ve lost is just motivating myself to change the narrative of what people think about me.”
This next season will be a major test for Ayton. If he handles it will and proves to be useful for the Suns, all will be forgiven. But don’t be surprised when he’s somewhere else if things don’t go according to the plan.
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