The Portland Trail Blazers took part in a three-team trade primarily involving Damian Lillard, Deandre Ayton, and Jusuf Nurkic during the last offseason.
The Trail Blazers acquired Ayton amid giving up Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Ayton had spent five seasons with the Suns before being sent to the Trail Blazers, but the former No. 1 overall pick struggled to find a place in Phoenix.
With the Trail Blazers heading towards an eminent rebuilding phase, acquiring Ayton seemed like a smart move.
Ayton had the opportunity to finally display his full potential while being a leader for the Trail Blazers.
Although Ayton has failed to impress fans for the majority of the season, the 25-year-old star had a solid game against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.
Ayton finished the matchup with 30 points, 19 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block, as the Trail Blazers registered a shocking 128-118 win over the Raptors.
NBA fans had various reactions to Ayton’s performance vs. the Raptors.
Deandre Ayton tonight:
30 Points
19 Rebounds
2 Steals
1 Assist
1 Block
56% FG
100% FT pic.twitter.com/IUyGwNocuA— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 10, 2024
He can be nice if he just tries 😂
— JusMe (@JusMe___) March 10, 2024
he's on a mission
— Blessing (@bless_gsw) March 10, 2024
I still got hope for him
— Smalls (@707_Smalls_Szn) March 10, 2024
NBA fans praised Ayton for putting up an excellent stat line against the Raptors.
However, many fans still pointed out that one great performance doesn’t magically make the rest of the season disappear.
Considering Ayton is making $32.45 million this season, he is expected to be one of the top players in the Western Conference.
But he is averaging just 14.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game for the Trail Blazers this season.
It’s no surprise that the Trail Blazers are currently the 14th seed in the West with an unimpressive 18-45 record.
NEXT: NBA Team Has Gone Winless In February