NBA Rumors: Deandre Ayton Would Love To Be Drafted By Phoenix Suns
The 2018 NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone and the Phoenix Suns will be on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. It was a sigh of relief for a franchise that desperately needs more talent. Now, the task of picking which talented college player they will take has begun.
Deandre Ayton is widely viewed as the top draft pick in the draft at this point in time. He has competition, but the Suns could use a big man and Ayton would fill that void. Ayton also made it clear through his agent that he would “love” to be drafted by the Suns with the No. 1 overall pick.
Very rarely do talented big men like Ayton come around and the Suns cannot afford to miss this opportunity. He had a stellar season for the Arizona Wildcats and has the potential to become a superstar at the next level.
During the 2017-18 college season at Arizona, Ayton ended up averaging 20.1 points per game to go along with 11.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. He shot 61.2 percent from the floor and knocked down 73.3 percent of his foul shots. Those numbers would be a big boost for the Suns on both ends of the court.
Devin Booker needs all the help he can get. Josh Jackson was the team’s first-round pick last year and is expected to develop, but outside of those two players, there are a whole lot of question marks. Ayton would immediately slide in as the starting center and could be the dominant paint presence that the Suns desperately need.
Had a very brief conversation with Deandre Ayton following the lottery. His agent was rushing him out of the room but he told me he'd love to be drafted by the Suns and play alongside Booker
— scott bordow (@sbordow) May 16, 2018
Standing in at 7-foot-1 and 250 pounds, Ayton is without question a physical freak. He is NBA-ready from a physical standpoint and may very well have the most potential of any player in the draft. Phoenix would be wise to take him at No. 1, although there are already rumblings that the Suns could take Luka Doncic with that pick.
A short paragraph shared by Bleacher Report corroborates the idea that the Suns are likely to take Ayton, but are still considering Doncic.
“Jonathan Givony of ESPN listed him as the favorite to go No. 1 overall, but noted Slovenian guard Luka Doncic remains a quality option as Ayton is ‘not a done deal.'”
BULLY SEASON APPROACHING ?
DeAndre Ayton is the NBA’s next BIG thing: https://t.co/bTvsRzQ4wF pic.twitter.com/NvcdFIqKhk
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 15, 2018
The article also talked about the Suns’ current front-court options and it is obvious that they have a need at the center position.
“Both Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss have shown flashes in their young careers, but they have hardly lived up to expectations as top-10 picks in the 2016 draft. They are also both better used at the 4, while Ayton is likely a true center at the next level.”
Everything seems to be pointing to Ayton being the next member of the Suns. They have a need and he is the best talent available to fill that need. If the Suns do end up taking Ayton, he is going to be fun to watch develop over the next few years.
