DeAndre Ayton

[mhd]

Whoever Arizona's PG is was horrible. He can't throw a pass to save his life. Tim Duncan couldn't score with a PG like that!

[DirtyDez]

Whoever Arizona's PG is was horrible. He can't throw a pass to save his life. Tim Duncan couldn't score with a PG like that!

Worst entry pass team in the history of basketball. Drove me nuts.

[Upperclass]

Ayton is going to be a bust. It's plain as day to me. He's like a robot.. its strange watching him. His guards are bad.. but its not all them and that wasnt the first time he's played that way. His game just doesnt appear impactful. He reminds me of a jump-shooting version of Jahlil Okafor.

[SBM]

I don't see bust here but I didn't see him dominating defensively either. I think he will be productive on the boards and scoring. I still don't get the Okafor stuff he was productive as a rookie.

[kuclas]

I don't see bust here but I didn't see him dominating defensively either. I think he will be productive on the boards and scoring. I still don't get the Okafor stuff he was productive as a rookie.

I still don’t get the Okafor stuff either. He can still score. His defense is bad. But half the nba have centers who don’t have a real post game. So Okafor can just sag off on defense. But maybe he just never learned to play defense.

[RipCity71252]

He'll be productive, I just think his skill set / role + salary demands put a cap on your franchise's ability to win at a high level.

Dennis Smith Jr. ended up top 3 on my board last year for many of the same physical tools + production reasons, and I had similar questions about him. But at least his value was tied up in the more important side of the floor for his position.

[Marcus]

I don't see bust here but I didn't see him dominating defensively either. I think he will be productive on the boards and scoring. I still don't get the Okafor stuff he was productive as a rookie.

I still don’t get the Okafor stuff either. He can still score. His defense is bad. But half the nba have centers who don’t have a real post game. So Okafor can just sag off on defense. But maybe he just never learned to play defense.

Jah just got screwed over IMO. Drafted as a place holder, then looked at as invaluable once the league evolved and he wasn't allowed to play and show the same. Therefore passed over. The kid isn't void of skill and or talent, has worked to get his weight down, can probably add more to his game. There are clear deficiencies to his game but not enough to where he should be given no chance to show value.

Back on topic, I don't think Ayton has "bust" potential (think that's too strong of a word) so much as he has the potential to not live up to his ceiling. Kid is still a 7 footer with a ridiculous frame, runs like a wing, shoots at a good clip, willing to finish strong, rebounds in and out of his area, jumps out the gym, and even flashes a pretty high offensive IQ in terms of finding open space on the floor, not taking bad shots, patiently reading the D from the post, and making good passes. These are things he does well right now that can translate; that doesn't present "bust". That's more than enough to keep him employed for a while in the league. Now if he doesn't live up to top pick billing that's a different topic but I can't see him busting out the league, somebody will always be willing to pay him for his career.

[Alatan]

...That's more than enough to keep him employed for a while in the league. Now if he doesn't live up to top pick billing that's a different topic but I can't see him busting out the league, somebody will always be willing to pay him for his career.

If someone gets picked in top 3-5 and becomes an average player i consider him a bust. Teams rely on those picks to become good players and some even purposely lose whole seasons just to get them. Becoming just an average player doesnt justify it. Im not saying that its possible for every top 5 player becomes a star but something close is needed to justify all that losing.

[Marcus]

...That's more than enough to keep him employed for a while in the league. Now if he doesn't live up to top pick billing that's a different topic but I can't see him busting out the league, somebody will always be willing to pay him for his career.

If someone gets picked in top 3-5 and becomes an average player i consider him a bust. Teams rely on those picks to become good players and some even purposely lose whole seasons just to get them. Becoming just an average player doesnt justify it. Im not saying that its possible for every top 5 player becomes a star but something close is needed to justify all that losing.

fair enough.

[76ciology]

Crazy low 1.0stl% and just 6.1blk%! Those kind of low deflection numbers won’t be able to compensate for any type of individual scoring for a C.

[Village Idiot]

He has the physical tools to be an all-time great. I question how coachable he is though and if he has the drive to be a superstar. I wouldn't bet on the last two materializing based on what he's shown thus far. He will, in all likelihood, be a very good player in the mold of Drummond, Whiteside, Towns or DJ but to become David Robinson, Karl Malone, KG or Anthony Davis is a whole nother level of success.

[The-Power]

What Ayton has going for him, imo, is that he can't be played off the floor. He appears to be quick enough to deal with perimeter players on switches, he's big enough to handle 5's in the post on defense, and he's big enough with sufficient skills and good enough rebounding that teams can't simply guard him with wing players, and he doesn't compromise your spacing. He's also solid from the line.

I'm somewhat skeptical of Ayton – certainly when it comes to him being a potential star player – but the presumed ability to stay on the floor in a variety of settings is something he has on Bamba or even Bagley. I expect him to be a decent starter. Nothing special but a player of his size who can play 30+ MPG and projects to be at least average among starters – with some more upside – is a borderline top 5 pick, in my eyes.

[76ciology]

What Ayton has going for him, imo, is that he can't be played off the floor. He appears to be quick enough to deal with perimeter players on switches, he's big enough to handle 5's in the post on defense, and he's big enough with sufficient skills and good enough rebounding that teams can't simply guard him with wing players, and he doesn't compromise your spacing. He's also solid from the line.

I'm somewhat skeptical of Ayton – certainly when it comes to him being a potential star player – but the presumed ability to stay on the floor in a variety of settings is something he has on Bamba or even Bagley. I expect him to be a decent starter. Nothing special but a player of his size who can play 30+ MPG and projects to be at least average among starters – with some more upside – is a borderline top 5 pick, in my eyes.

All that defensive narrative goes to waste with his Jahlil Okaforesque deflection rate.

[JMac1]

There is a difference between looking intimidating and been so, you just gotta watch Drummond

Towns bullies everybody man, other than Steven Adams or so, but there is only one of those in the league, I don't think Ayton is gonna be a more physical presence than him, no close.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1371002#start_here

Odd. You were extremely low on Towns. Perhaps you are making the same mistake with Ayton?

Lol...........

All things Deandre Ayton, lol!!!

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Anyone think he may have been pulling a Ben Simmons for his one and done year? Just kind of going through the motions rather than busting his ass for the NCAA?

[JMac1]

Anyone think he may have been pulling a Ben Simmons for his one and done year? Just kind of going through the motions rather than busting his ass for the NCAA?

We will find out. You know Simmons and Tatum didn’t play D in college and the boards blasted them too, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

[SlowPaced]

Anyone think he may have been pulling a Ben Simmons for his one and done year? Just kind of going through the motions rather than busting his ass for the NCAA?

Lonzo Ball did the same thing on defense, too. Was complete garbage at college but was one of the better defensive PGs in the league in his rookie season in the NBA.

[Duke4life831]

These guys are far from a finished product. He is 19 and is a tremendous athlete that is 7 feet tall with long arms and is very strong already. His production was ridiculous as a freshman, his game is built for todays game, and again has all the physical tools you could ask for. Yes he wasnt a stud defender, but he has all the time and all the tools to become at least a solid defender. If he can become at least a solid defender with his ability to score and rebound, that will be more than enough for him to be a franchise player.

[J_T]

Who would you pick today, Ayton or DRob? Here are their college stats, for comparison (DRob's from his first real season, 19 yrs old):

Ayton
33.5 mpg
20.1 ppg @ 61.2 FG%
11.6 rpg
1.6 apg
0.6 spg
1.9 bpg
2.0 trnpg

DRob
33.6 mpg
23.6 ppg @ 64.4 FG%
11.6 rpg
0.6 apg
0.8 spg
4.0 bpg
2.3 trnpg

[D3ko]

Every time I see Ayton , I see a Miles Turner & Derrick Favors type of player ?

Good body, great individual skills but quite inconsistent and not productive at all

Could some expert give me reasons to think higher on Ayton?