The only thing Ayton does better than Deandre is shoot. Deandre was a better rebounder/Rin protector and lob threat. I would say they are pretty similar.
Ad, Draymond and Giannis aren't traditional big men. They play nothing like Ayton. Draymond and Giannis play from the perimeter. Giannis is more of a SF than a center. Was Marc Gasol even good when the raptors won? And they only one cuz the entire other team got injured. Ayton and Bam didn't even win the ship and shouldn't be included. The Suns aren't winning wjth or without Ayton. They got lucky getting to finals last year.
Their rebounding and defense were pretty similar. Ayton's last season (3rd season as a starter), age 23: Offensive Rebounding%: 12.4% Defensive Rebounding%: 26.3% Total Rebounding%: 19.5% Jordan's 3rd season as a starter (6th season in the league), age 24: Offensive Rebounding%: 12.7% Defensive Rebounding%: 22.4% Total Rebounding%: 17.6% Ayton's last season (3rd season as a starter), age 23: Block%: 3.4% Defensive Box Plus Minus: 0.0 Jordan's 3rd season as a starter (6th season in the league), age 24: Block%: 4.7% Defensive Box Plus Minus: -0.2
Gasol's Raptors role: https://raptorsrapture.com/2020/10/12/remembering-marc-gasol-toronto-raptors/ Point of my post wasn't to compare the styles of those big men. Point was to emphasize that successful teams don't sniff the Finals without solid big men. You can nitpick all you want about Ayton's game, but if you don't have an interior presence, you're not getting very far in the postseason. Ayton isn't some random tall stiff that you can just sign an off-the-street replacement for, which seems like how this is going to go if Ayton becomes disgruntled. If the Suns think they can make do with a disgruntled Ayton, then more power to them. But it's not a good look when you pay pretty much everyone else on the team and not Ayton.
???!! MPJ ain’t close to KD. Just stop. Dude was outplayed by Ayton’s teammate Mikal Bridges in the playoffs last year.
I never said he was KD. But he's only played 2 seasons and it wouldn't be far fetched to say he could be one of the most efficient scorers in nba history. If MPJ left the nuggets he'd be a 30 pt per game player. I've been following him since high school and I believed the hype. If back doesn't act up he could be the best player in that draft including Doncic. I have that much faith in him. Would love the Rockets to get him.
Players have been pretty emboldened, as have their agents. I think the Simmons’ situation and possibly Ayton’s will show that the team’s still have some leverage of their own. Ayton and his team can get all bent out of shape if they want, but I feel pretty confident he is going to get paid. If it’s not the Suns, it will be someone else. And even then, he could still stay with the Suns. I think it’s pretty ridiculous to act like becoming a free agent and getting to chose where you play is a bad thing. I think a lot of this is agent driven.
I think by not extending him now you are forcing him to play a little harder this season. If he is going to be a restricted FA next season, he is going to want to look like a get. This gives Phoenix the opportunity to match. The team can still be a strong team with a journeyman big, so there's definitely some flexibility there. I could see the Suns trading some picks to get a player like Wood. I could also see Wood making the Suns a better team.
Cmon man, NBA HISTORY? LOL!!! He couldn’t outplay Mikal Bridges last year. And you have to play hard & be available to score 30 a night in the NBA. I’ve watched him since high school as well and he’s been hurt ALOT. Or he’s b****ing about not getting the ball. He ain’t on the same planet as Luka man, you’re really dreaming big.
They drafted both Ayton and Bridges the same year. They extended Bridges 4 years - $90 million, which seems like a great deal for a young 3&D wing. I see Ayton being the odd man out.
Damian Lillard Would Like Blazers To Acquire Deandre Ayton Or OG Anunoby The Portland Trail Blazers have a lot of flexibility this offseason. They didn't tear things down to a full-scale rebuild last trade deadline, but Portland did set themselves up to retool around Damian Lillard. Now, their star is sending signals to the Blazers on who he'd like to play with. Lillard would reportedly like Portland to acquire Deandre Ayton or OG Anunoby this summer. Ayton is a restricted free agent, and many expect him to move on from the Phoenix Suns via sign-and-trade this offseason. Anunoby is under contract with the Toronto Raptors, but is reportedly unhappy with his role on the Raptors. The Trail Blazers can create upwards of $30 million in cap space this summer. Or they stay over the cap and use a $20 million traded player exception from the C.J. McCollum deal to help acquire talent to put around Lillard.
Blazers would have to do a SnT into that exception though. I don't think they are players for Ayton. They could take OG Anunoby into that TE and just send out pick 7. Maybe they could do better? Back to Ayton, his QO is 31.5mill right? Will he get more than that on the market? Is it worth it for PHX to give him that? Tough choice
Phoenix has a limited window with Chris Paul. If they are going to trade Ayton, it can't be to a team like Portland - presumably, Lillard also wants to win now, so I'm not sure who they could trade. Phoenix would have to trade for some older, reliable talent, I would think. And trade with a young team that's building for the future.
Maybe, but some of the footwork and touch that Ayton shows seems pretty damn special to me. I'd love to see him on a team that gives him the ball more.
