Deandre Ayton news and highlights

[handsome salary]

Has a number one pick who became an all star/champion ever had their team become worse after picked? Injuries don’t count.

IDK...

Ayton is a very good player, he is a rookie and he is playing as well as advertised, but he needs help and good veterans around him.

In this league veteran teams win. We are playing a lot of time with three rookies on the court, that is not the way for winning games. And what about Melton and Okobo playing all the minutes at PG sometimes ??? Ayton can not help with that.

James Jones needs to make a move and get a solid veteran PG and try to be competitive in this second part of the season. He made a mistake trading Ariza for another SF, he needed to grab a PG with that asset.

So I think that Ayton is making his job.
Yes, he needs to improve defensively, but other than that I am happy with his overall play. I can not say the same about ten other players on the current roster.

Good points . This FO is such a monumental failure but still waiting for just a truly dominant type game. Start to finish. Not a play , quarter or half. A message to the rest of the league.

Ayton feels like the next Joe Smith not the next D Rob.

[bwgood77]

Has a number one pick who became an all star/champion ever had their team become worse after picked? Injuries don’t count.

IDK...

Ayton is a very good player, he is a rookie and he is playing as well as advertised, but he needs help and good veterans around him.

In this league veteran teams win. We are playing a lot of time with three rookies on the court, that is not the way for winning games. And what about Melton and Okobo playing all the minutes at PG sometimes ??? Ayton can not help with that.

James Jones needs to make a move and get a solid veteran PG and try to be competitive in this second part of the season. He made a mistake trading Ariza for another SF, he needed to grab a PG with that asset.

So I think that Ayton is making his job.
Yes, he needs to improve defensively, but other than that I am happy with his overall play. I can not say the same about ten other players on the current roster.

I would love to have a good PG for the second half of the season, but who do you realistically think is available without giving up something fairly valuable? I don't think it's smart to give up something valuable with all the FAs and having FA money and being so far out of it. I mean I agree they need to start getting better, but I expect that to happen anyway down the stretch.

Check out my last post in the Season Speculation thread and tell me who you think we could realistically get or what you would give up to get them?

I mean maybe Oubre for Lin or something but I don't know what else...maybe the Knicks have someone, but probably not much of an upgrade. No, the Knicks are starting Mudiay now, and have Burke off the bench...but neither are great. I would have loved to get Mudiay over Payton last year. Frank Ntilikina is too raw to really help...not sure if he will ever be good anyway. But anyway, check out the post there and who you think from those teams would be dealt or why you think a player from a playoff contending team that would be useful would be dealt unless we traded TJ, Bridges, Booker or Ayton.

[Fo-Real]

The Little General, Isiah Thomas?

[bwgood77]

From Gina Mizell...

“That’s on me tonight,” Ayton said after the game. “I wasn’t really vocal tonight. In pick-and-roll coverages, I wasn’t really effective in protecting the rim. … As small as (Walker) is, he’s so strong and so smart.”....

.....What are the one-on-one interactions like between Ayton and Kokoskov? Ayton acknowledged Kokoskov “can see when I’m being a rookie” and begins “picking him apart.” And Ayton welcomes the constructive criticism, focusing on the content of the message and not the tone with which it is delivered.

Kokoskov’s biggest directive, according to Ayton: Be the alpha dog.

“This team really doesn’t go on the defensive end with energy unless I’m really locked in,” Ayton said. “If I’m having a bad day, it really shows. I can’t really have those days like that. If I’m not having an offensive day, I have to find some way to get this team going. That’s the big goal I have.

“(Kokoskov) knows when I’m in my head, or something like that, or when I’m really amped up and ready to go and ready to feed the bulldog. It’s a good feeling. We’re just getting stronger and building that chemistry.”....

....This poor homestand has been peppered with defensive miscues from Ayton and his team. But Kokoskov recently reiterated that he expects Ayton to someday be in consideration for Defensive Player of the Year, citing Rudy Gobert’s development on that end during his years as a Utah assistant.

Though the Suns have yet to face the Jazz, Ayton said he has been watching an abundance of film on Gobert. He pays attention to small details, such as understanding the breadth of the court when the ballhandler is isolated on the strong side and the big man is on the weak side.

[LukasBMW]

If you put a gun to my head, I'd say Ayton becomes Patrick Ewing 2.0

He'll be an easy 20-25 ppg / 10-14 rpg guy his entire career, BUT too often he will settle for outside shots. Ewing always had those great baseline jumpers but he was kinda soft and did not bang inside consistently. Ayton has the same style.

Of course Ewing never won a ring, but he also made the Knicks a perennial playoff team in the tough 1990's east despite the fact that the rest of the roster was usually meh.

I'll take it.

At least Ewing had a long and consistent career...unlike Amare.

[lilfishi22]

If you put a gun to my head, I'd say Ayton becomes Patrick Ewing 2.0

He'll be an easy 20-25 ppg / 10-14 rpg guy his entire career, BUT too often he will settle for outside shots. Ewing always had those great baseline jumpers but he was kinda soft and did not bang inside consistently. Ayton has the same style.

Of course Ewing never won a ring, but he also made the Knicks a perennial playoff team in the tough 1990's east despite the fact that the rest of the roster was usually meh.

I'll take it.

At least Ewing had a long and consistent career...unlike Amare.

with or without the D?

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

[lilfishi22]

Holmes has been an amazing acquisition that McD should get credit for.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

Top Five Comps: (1) Karl-Anthony Towns, (2) Nikola Jokic, (3) John Collins, (4) Brook Lopez, (5) Al Horford

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

Top Five Comps: (1) Karl-Anthony Towns, (2) Nikola Jokic, (3) John Collins, (4) Brook Lopez, (5) Al Horford

It said the only high score comp was Towns, though I think that list is superb. Better than any of the other lists..

And Mo Bamba...NOT a good list.

[sunskerr]

I think we have been bringing along too slowly. I'd like to see him get more passing responsibility/opportunities.

I really don't think we need a point guard as bad as people say we do. Those sort of pass first guys are a thing of the past. Someone who can defend and hit the 3 should be good enough. Just give Ayton and TJ more opportunities to create and I think we'll be ok with another offseason of improvement + better role player signings in FA.

[bwgood77]

I think we have been bringing along too slowly. I'd like to see him get more passing responsibility/opportunities.

I really don't think we need a point guard as bad as people say we do. Those sort of pass first guys are a thing of the past. Someone who can defend and hit the 3 should be good enough. Just give Ayton and TJ more opportunities to create and I think we'll be ok with another offseason of improvement + better role player signings in FA.

I think IF and when he develops that 3, it will open up everything for everyone and I think he will increase his distributing as well...that with being able to dominate inside will be lethal in today's NBA.

With Book out they should run the offense through him though...even if he gets doubled he should find the open man if he can't score (even though he often times can score with a double, but probably better to give it to a guy for an open shot unless it's one of our bad shooters, which it may be if they are leaving him open).

[bigfoot]

If you put a gun to my head, I'd say Ayton becomes Patrick Ewing 2.0

He'll be an easy 20-25 ppg / 10-14 rpg guy his entire career, BUT too often he will settle for outside shots. Ewing always had those great baseline jumpers but he was kinda soft and did not bang inside consistently. Ayton has the same style.

Of course Ewing never won a ring, but he also made the Knicks a perennial playoff team in the tough 1990's east despite the fact that the rest of the roster was usually meh.

I'll take it.

At least Ewing had a long and consistent career...unlike Amare.

The fact that Anthony Davis has only been able to make the playoffs in 2 out of 7 years is worrisome. I don't see Ayton being better than Davis. Again the major issue is that big men have been marginalized in today's NBA.

[lilfishi22]

I think we have been bringing along too slowly. I'd like to see him get more passing responsibility/opportunities.

I really don't think we need a point guard as bad as people say we do. Those sort of pass first guys are a thing of the past. Someone who can defend and hit the 3 should be good enough. Just give Ayton and TJ more opportunities to create and I think we'll be ok with another offseason of improvement + better role player signings in FA.

I strongly believe we need a PG. TJ isn't and never has been a good passer, he's honestly shocking if you look at his stats. Of the 36 players last season who has taken over 1000 FGA's, TJ is ranked last in assists and the only player without at least 100 assists. 2nd last was Melo. This season he's 3rd last among players who have taken at least 500FGA, only Drummond and Barnes is worse.

Ayton is a above average at finding the open man but I don't think you can rely on him to pick up the distribution slack that comes from not having a high level distributor

[King4Day]

Article about Ayton and his opinions of Doncic: https://theundefeated.com/features/deandre-ayton-aint-mad-at-luka-doncic/

[Archx]

Article about Ayton and his opinions of Doncic: https://theundefeated.com/features/deandre-ayton-aint-mad-at-luka-doncic/

Agree with Ayton there. If Suns had a bit more wins i think media's attention would be a bit better. But it's also like he said, Luka is flashy and fans notice that so that's a huge bonus for him as well.

[WeekapaugGroove]

I think we have been bringing along too slowly. I'd like to see him get more passing responsibility/opportunities.

I really don't think we need a point guard as bad as people say we do. Those sort of pass first guys are a thing of the past. Someone who can defend and hit the 3 should be good enough. Just give Ayton and TJ more opportunities to create and I think we'll be ok with another offseason of improvement + better role player signings in FA.

I'm fine bringing his offense along a little slowly because they are putting a lot of defensive responsibility on his shoulders and he has a lot to learn there. His offense will be fine and grow in the future but it's his D that will determine just how good he can be. I think putting so much offensive responsibility on Booker's shoulders when he was first in the league stunted his defensive growth and he developed bad habits of resting on that side of the ball I don't want that to happen with ayton.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

[bigfoot]

I think we have been bringing along too slowly. I'd like to see him get more passing responsibility/opportunities.

I really don't think we need a point guard as bad as people say we do. Those sort of pass first guys are a thing of the past. Someone who can defend and hit the 3 should be good enough. Just give Ayton and TJ more opportunities to create and I think we'll be ok with another offseason of improvement + better role player signings in FA.

I'm fine bringing his offense along a little slowly because they are putting a lot of defensive responsibility on his shoulders and he has a lot to learn there. His offense will be fine and grow in the future but it's his D that will determine just how good he can be. I think putting so much offensive responsibility on Booker's shoulders when he was first in the league stunted his defensive growth and he developed bad habits of resting on that side of the ball I don't want that to happen with ayton.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

Spot on ... Holmes showed why defense and energy is so important in the comeback Sac win.

[bwgood77]

I wonder where this guy works...

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1773662&start=1220#p71660824

[sunsbum]

I wonder where this guy works...

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1773662&start=1220#p71660824

probably a hotdog stand inside MSG