Deandre Ayton from Phoenix Sun has been phenomenal in his four-year NBA career. He has made incremental improvements and is now considered a pro-level player after re-signing the deal with Phoenix Suns for $133 million. The 24-year-old, who was selected with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draught, still has a lot of room for improvement.
Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns will be seeking to become a recognized top five NBA center by the conclusion of his current deal in order to join the exclusive company. Ayton was rated as the seventh-best center in the NBA going into his fourth campaign according to an article from The Sporting News. He was listed after Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, and Nikola Vucevic.
Scott Rafferty from The Sporting News added:
“Ayton hasn’t reached the same heights as Trae Young and Luka Doncic since being drafted No. 1 in the 2018 NBA Draft, but he put his potential on full display in Phoenix’s run to the NBA Finals last season. He remade himself on the biggest stage, filling in the gaps with his rim-running and cutting while anchoring what turned out to be the third-best defense in the postseason.
Deandre Ayton outplayed in almost every game in the 2021-22 season and averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds. Ayton moved up from Vucevic into sixth place in a recent HoopsHype article ranking NBA centers by trade value.
There is no reason why Ayton couldn’t rise the numbers to rank just below those two MVP-caliber players, though it would be tough to imagine him ever surpassing their level. Ayton is a highly useful player in today’s NBA despite lacking the scoring skill set of those two players and the defensive presence of Rudy Gobert. The Bahamian’s plus-minus rating during the regular season was +5.9, placing him fourth among all centers.
Sun’s success in the future will depend on Ayton’s evolution, and both he and the team are expecting that he lives up to the potential of being selected first overall.
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