Believe it or not, Deandre Ayton just had one of his best seasons since entering the NBA.
His 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 1.7 assists a game are some of the greatest statistics of his career.
However, many people noted that he didn’t seem very happy playing for the Phoenix Suns, and most thought he was hoping for a trade.
Now that he’s with the Portland Trail Blazers, expectations are high for Ayton.
According to Vince Goodwill, via NBACentral, the view around the rest of the NBA is that the Blazers see Ayton “in the vein of a top-five center in the league.”
The view around the league is the Blazers see Deandre Ayton in the vein of a top-five center in the league, per @VinceGoodwill pic.twitter.com/1WD37N8G99
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 30, 2023
Now you can understand why the Blazers were so eager to get Ayton in the massive Damian Lillard trade deal.
They believe he could be one of the best in the NBA and might finally lead the Blazers into serious postseason greatness.
Ayton definitely has a ton of legitimate talent.
He has averaged a double-double for each of his five NBA seasons.
He is the sort of big man who can both score and also chip away at the glass.
Ayton previously worked wonders for the Suns – until a certain point.
There was a falling out between him and head coach Monty Williams a couple of seasons ago.
It’s not clear what caused the problems but most people felt that Ayton wasn’t happy with his role on the roster.
Although he did quite well last season, he didn’t seem as dedicated to the team as he had been in the past.
He was clearly ready for a change of scenery.
Now that he’s received it, will he live up to the hype that the Blazers are building for him?
NEXT: Insider Reveals Blazers GM's Approach To Damian Lillard Trade
