Deandre Ayton news and highlights

[Damkac]

His fav player is Kevin Garnett right? Could Suns bring Garnett to work with him for a while and taught him some toughtness?

[Midnight_Suns]

His fav player is Kevin Garnett right? Could Suns bring Garnett to work with him for a while and taught him some toughtness?

You can't teach toughness. You either have it or you don't. Ayton does not.

Sent from my SM-N920V using RealGM mobile app

[Saberestar]

His fav player is Kevin Garnett right? Could Suns bring Garnett to work with him for a while and taught him some toughtness?

Garnett is not cheap. Sarver does not want to spend money on coaches, assistants and all of that. That money is not part of the cap, the owner pays that.

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

[Damkac]

He is a bust. Soft, plays no defense and don't dunk on people. No way he ever improves. His testosterone level is so low he should play in the WNBA.

[Jstock12]

His fav player is Kevin Garnett right? Could Suns bring Garnett to work with him for a while and taught him some toughtness?

You can't teach toughness. You either have it or you don't. Ayton does not.

Sent from my SM-N920V using RealGM mobile app

I think you can, at least to a degree. But you need a mindset coach for that. I say so because some guys are complete opposite on and off the court. Some friendly, positive and always smiling dudes off the court just come alive when they step onto the court and play with an edge and extreme physicality. Which means it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the personality type.

[bwgood77]

Ayton 4th on rookie ladder, but could move back up after the last game.

http://www.nba.com/rookie-ladder

[Jstock12]

Ayton 4th on rookie ladder, but could move back up after the last game.

http://www.nba.com/rookie-ladder

How do you rate Carter over Ayton? Just because Carter is exceeding expectations doesn't mean he's out-performing Ayton who's obviously getting screwed here because of his pre-draft hype.

[bwgood77]

Igor Kokoskov wanted Deandre Ayton to start Saturday night’s game with “more sense of urgency” going up against “one of the best players in the world” in early NBA MVP candidate Anthony Davis.

“It’s a challenge, but the challenge should give him confidence in a way he should become aggressive and try to execute game plan,” Kokoskov said. “I think he was too passive to start the game. It’s a psychological moment, which is understandable. He’s a rookie playing against an All-Star, but I think he’s better than that in terms of being aggressive, being himself and just playing.”

“I don’t know what he means by that,” said Ayton, who now has eight double-doubles in his first 12 NBA games. “To me, I’m all about a rhythm. I’m a rhythm-type of player. I don’t hunt shots down. That’s not my play style. My play style is my teammates know where I want the ball and really feeling out the game. Not saying I’m on a late start. I’m still playing defense.”

Ayton had his share of breakdowns defensively Saturday, but he ended up with 20 points and 12 rebounds in the Suns’ 119-99 loss at New Orleans.

However, Ayton, speaking to Kokoskov’s urgency comment, only had two points on one shot attempt in the first quarter while Davis scored 10 in the game’s first 12 minutes.

Ayton believes he can be aggressive when the ball is “in his area,” but he talked about playing with energy when it comes to crashing the boards and playing defense.

He had his share of struggles on defense, but grabbed six offensive boards, two more than Davis.

“I’m a rhythm player,” Ayton reiterated. “As you can see, I can score multiple times in possessions over and over and over, but once you shut me down, I have to go to something else. Rebounding. Defense. Just turn something up a notch. That’s just how I am. Once you shut off my scoring, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop playing. I don’t get the aggressiveness.”

Read on Twitter

[bwgood77]

You know, looking back at this, what was Ayton thinking? Obviously the ONLY thing we can't give up is a 3....and watch him on this play....why would you not stay out?

Read on Twitter

[lilfishi22]

Igor Kokoskov wanted Deandre Ayton to start Saturday night’s game with “more sense of urgency” going up against “one of the best players in the world” in early NBA MVP candidate Anthony Davis.

“It’s a challenge, but the challenge should give him confidence in a way he should become aggressive and try to execute game plan,” Kokoskov said. “I think he was too passive to start the game. It’s a psychological moment, which is understandable. He’s a rookie playing against an All-Star, but I think he’s better than that in terms of being aggressive, being himself and just playing.”

“I don’t know what he means by that,” said Ayton, who now has eight double-doubles in his first 12 NBA games. “To me, I’m all about a rhythm. I’m a rhythm-type of player. I don’t hunt shots down. That’s not my play style. My play style is my teammates know where I want the ball and really feeling out the game. Not saying I’m on a late start. I’m still playing defense.”

Ayton had his share of breakdowns defensively Saturday, but he ended up with 20 points and 12 rebounds in the Suns’ 119-99 loss at New Orleans.

However, Ayton, speaking to Kokoskov’s urgency comment, only had two points on one shot attempt in the first quarter while Davis scored 10 in the game’s first 12 minutes.

Ayton believes he can be aggressive when the ball is “in his area,” but he talked about playing with energy when it comes to crashing the boards and playing defense.

He had his share of struggles on defense, but grabbed six offensive boards, two more than Davis.

“I’m a rhythm player,” Ayton reiterated. “As you can see, I can score multiple times in possessions over and over and over, but once you shut me down, I have to go to something else. Rebounding. Defense. Just turn something up a notch. That’s just how I am. Once you shut off my scoring, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop playing. I don’t get the aggressiveness.”

Read on Twitter

His comments about Ayton starting too passively makes a lot of sense. When I watch him in the first quarter, he tends to try really hard to play within the offense and doesn't seem to really want the ball in his hands unless he's essentially wide open or he has the clear advantage.

I don't like that Ayton is refuting what his head coach is saying which is clearly true. He has to establish himself early if he's a star.

[lilfishi22]

You know, looking back at this, what was Ayton thinking? Obviously the ONLY thing we can't give up is a 3....and watch him on this play....why would you not stay out?

Read on Twitter

Didn't rewatch the game so I didn't catch this at all. That's just a low IQ play. That last play was to deny the open 3 shot and had the ball moved around, neither Tatum nor Rozier would've been guarded as Ayton sank all the way into the paint for some reason.

[JMac1]

That's what I mean by moron coach. LOL! That statement says it all, Igor is a DUNCE!

[bwgood77]

That's what I mean by moron coach. LOL! That statement says it all, Igor is a DUNCE!

That he needs to be more aggressive out of the gate? That's what many watching the game in the game thread were saying too. By the time he got somewhat aggressive it was too late. Or if you are talking about Ayton sinking into the paint on that play they needed the 3, there is zero chance Igor told him to do that. Had he switched onto Morris it's unlikely Morris gets a clean 3 look. There was zero reason for Ayton to move into the paint when we were defending the 3 pt line.

[JMac1]

That's what I mean by moron coach. LOL! That statement says it all, Igor is a DUNCE!

That he needs to be more aggressive out of the gate? That's what many watching the game in the game thread were saying too. By the time he got somewhat aggressive it was too late. Or if you are talking about Ayton sinking into the paint on that play they needed the 3, there is zero chance Igor told him to do that. Had he switched onto Morris it's unlikely Morris gets a clean 3 look. There was zero reason for Ayton to move into the paint when we were defending the 3 pt line.

Pass him the damn ball. How can he get aggressive 30 ft from the basket? Igor offense or the players in it won't allow him to be aggressive, unless you mean on defense only.

[bwgood77]

That's what I mean by moron coach. LOL! That statement says it all, Igor is a DUNCE!

That he needs to be more aggressive out of the gate? That's what many watching the game in the game thread were saying too. By the time he got somewhat aggressive it was too late. Or if you are talking about Ayton sinking into the paint on that play they needed the 3, there is zero chance Igor told him to do that. Had he switched onto Morris it's unlikely Morris gets a clean 3 look. There was zero reason for Ayton to move into the paint when we were defending the 3 pt line.

Pass him the damn ball. How can he get aggressive 30 ft from the basket? Igor offense or the players in it won't allow him to be aggressive, unless you mean on defense only.

So you think Igor told people not to pass Ayton the ball? It's not like he wasn't getting touches.

[lilfishi22]

That's what I mean by moron coach. LOL! That statement says it all, Igor is a DUNCE!

No it means Ayton is an idiot. His most impactful games were when he was turning it on early in the 1st and not during garbage time when he was "in rhythm" and the game was already well out of reach.

[Revived]

Igor Kokoskov wanted Deandre Ayton to start Saturday night’s game with “more sense of urgency” going up against “one of the best players in the world” in early NBA MVP candidate Anthony Davis.

“It’s a challenge, but the challenge should give him confidence in a way he should become aggressive and try to execute game plan,” Kokoskov said. “I think he was too passive to start the game. It’s a psychological moment, which is understandable. He’s a rookie playing against an All-Star, but I think he’s better than that in terms of being aggressive, being himself and just playing.”

“I don’t know what he means by that,” said Ayton, who now has eight double-doubles in his first 12 NBA games. “To me, I’m all about a rhythm. I’m a rhythm-type of player. I don’t hunt shots down. That’s not my play style. My play style is my teammates know where I want the ball and really feeling out the game. Not saying I’m on a late start. I’m still playing defense.”

Ayton had his share of breakdowns defensively Saturday, but he ended up with 20 points and 12 rebounds in the Suns’ 119-99 loss at New Orleans.

However, Ayton, speaking to Kokoskov’s urgency comment, only had two points on one shot attempt in the first quarter while Davis scored 10 in the game’s first 12 minutes.

Ayton believes he can be aggressive when the ball is “in his area,” but he talked about playing with energy when it comes to crashing the boards and playing defense.

He had his share of struggles on defense, but grabbed six offensive boards, two more than Davis.

“I’m a rhythm player,” Ayton reiterated. “As you can see, I can score multiple times in possessions over and over and over, but once you shut me down, I have to go to something else. Rebounding. Defense. Just turn something up a notch. That’s just how I am. Once you shut off my scoring, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop playing. I don’t get the aggressiveness.”

Read on Twitter

He lost me at “I’m still playing defense”.

[Qwigglez]

Feed Ayton early and have the offense work from the inside out. It'll get Ayton more focused on defense too IMO, and hopefully open up the court for the rest of the players. That play though, Ayton clearly having a rookie moment. It's on the coach for not reiterating what he wanted done on that last play. Should have been easy saying "foul if their back is to the basket and guard the 3 point line, no 3's" Literally just had to repeat that exact line over and over again.

[DaleyBlind]

Ayton is delusional if he thinks he is playing defense