Deandre Ayton Discussion: This Is A Platform I Can't Run From

A coach needs players to play hard and be consistent. It is difficult to game plan not knowing who is going to show up on a given day. Whatever skill they have is what they have and hopefully they will work on it but they can at least show up and play hard. Jax loves Luka and will play for him, I had rather have insane crazy energy going up in the rafters for lobs than higher but inconsistent skills. Low energy starters can set a bad tone for the entire game.

 

Kwame’s best season was 10/7… Ayton hasn’t had a season below 14/10. Hayes is Kwame level with better hands.

I’ve noticed you don’t particularly like or believe in Ayton for whatever reason which is fine. But for 8m, there isn’t a better 5 out there for us. And you have to give it up to him, he is defending pretty well this preseason and not caring about touches. What more can we realistically ask for?

 

I just don't understand how he's not an automatic 26/10/3 blocks kind of player.

He has that David Robinson physique and game.

Good length, wingspan, tall, agile, and has a nice midrange game.

Every game, he should be going out there like he's a star and dominate.

Then you watch him play and he looks like he's just clocking in for work...

There's no hunger to be the next all-time great center or big man. He's fine being a role playing center who just gets paid. I get that he's trying to just fit in with the team but there's also a point where he's still 26 and a 1st round pick... you should want to dominate these games with or without Luka or Bron.

If I were him, I would have been super insulted that the Lakers aren't treating me like Luka... Not in a bad way that you hate Luka but they're in the same draft. Don't you want to also dominate the game as well?

I hope he shows up this season.... I'm a fan of his game and think he can be much better than what he is. But if he's not going to care to be great, it's on him and it'll cost him 9 figures.

 

On the plus side he does seem to be giving good effort on D and the glass - if he can keep his focus there for most of the game, he'll turn around his career even if he doesn't max out his abilities

 

He jsut isn’t that guy. He is the, I’m going to clock in, do my thing and clock out. Low on desire, low on motor and low on competitive fire. Rui is the same.

But at the same time we have that in spades, Reaves, LeBron, Luka, Smart are all fierce competitors. Ayton jsut needs to secure the defensive rebound.

 

I don’t see David Robinson in Ayton’s physical build or presence. David was more muscular and athletic and of a force in the game down low.

 

Ayton is going to be fine, most island guys have a laid back demeanor. You don't avg a double double for a career, by being lazy. His play is going to be key, if we are going to hold our own without James. Just play big, defend the paint and hit them boards hard. He'll find his niche on offense eventually, I'm not worried about the scoring.

 

i don't know about most island guys, but he's definitely laid back. my point (as kind of an expert in this specific thing) is that you can't just turn that off and go play basketball as a different person. much like mj couldn't be a normal guy off the floor. he was a psycho everywhere.

 

Vets to Ayton

 

Statistics will never tell the entire story.
I just don’t have respect for guys who don’t have a passion for the game.
Some of these dudes really don’t know just how great they have it.

 

Agreed.
Ayton would be a decent bench big in that era of ball.

 

How do you know this and why write off the guy before the season starts?

 

I’ve seen him play before and he’s been dumped by two successive teams because of it.

 

Like Abeer stated earlier, flipping the switch isn't easy and even if he can do it, for how long? I don't like watching low energy players and whether intended or not they can suck the life from others. The last few seasons I've used up my hopium supply. I would just take energy and desire to start with.

 

All of these issues are justified. If Ayton was on 30m+ then it would be a problem. He is earning 8m so you just live with his short comings. Especially when he improves us defensively and from a rebounding point of view, 15/10 even with low competitive spirit is still helpful.