He's doing great and keeps improving.
Part of the problem with Ayton is that everyone sees what he can be and the glaring flaws he has right now. Some can't see or imagine him improve those. While others expect it immediately and are impatient with the progress. While others like myself can see how little things we expect from anyone aren't very consistent and because of that his production is far less than what it could be, even right now.
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass
He's doing great and keeps improving.
Part of the problem with Ayton is that everyone sees what he can be and the glaring flaws he has right now. Some can't see or imagine him improve those. While others expect it immediately and are impatient with the progress. While others like myself can see how little things we expect from anyone aren't very consistent and because of that his production is far less than what it could be, even right now.
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
That's what the expectations of a #1 overall pick will do for you.
He's doing great and keeps improving.
Part of the problem with Ayton is that everyone sees what he can be and the glaring flaws he has right now. Some can't see or imagine him improve those. While others expect it immediately and are impatient with the progress. While others like myself can see how little things we expect from anyone aren't very consistent and because of that his production is far less than what it could be, even right now.
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
That's what the expectations of a #1 overall pick will do for you.
A second year 7 footer less than halfway through his second year....he has met every expectation of a #1 overall pick. They won’t all be LeBron. But it’s clear he’s going to be an impact player his whole career even if he plateaus at where he is and and he’s the most talented overall player to come out of that draft thus far- key word being overall. Ignore the flash and media hype of the guards who don’t play an ounce of defense. The NBA game is guard oriented right now, so they will naturally have a more immediate offensive impact because the ball is constantly in their hands. But Ayton has had as much an impact on this team’s net play as anybody else from his class, particularly on D.
He's doing great and keeps improving.
Part of the problem with Ayton is that everyone sees what he can be and the glaring flaws he has right now. Some can't see or imagine him improve those. While others expect it immediately and are impatient with the progress. While others like myself can see how little things we expect from anyone aren't very consistent and because of that his production is far less than what it could be, even right now.
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
That's what the expectations of a #1 overall pick will do for you.
A second year 7 footer less than halfway through his second year....he has met every expectation of a #1 overall pick. They won’t all be LeBron. But it’s clear he’s going to be an impact player his whole career even if he plateaus at where he is and and he’s the most talented overall player to come out of that draft thus far- key word being overall. Ignore the flash and media hype of the guards who don’t play an ounce of defense. The NBA game is guard oriented right now, so they will naturally have a more immediate offensive impact because the ball is constantly in their hands. But Ayton has had as much an impact on this team’s net play as anybody else from his class, particularly on D.
I think Ayton has a solid argument as the #2 player from this class. I think the love JJJ gets over him is undeserving, bordering on ridiculous.
But, dude, it's Doncic and it's not close. Counting Defense and everything. Any opinion to the contrary would only come from a Suns fan.
He's doing great and keeps improving.
Part of the problem with Ayton is that everyone sees what he can be and the glaring flaws he has right now. Some can't see or imagine him improve those. While others expect it immediately and are impatient with the progress. While others like myself can see how little things we expect from anyone aren't very consistent and because of that his production is far less than what it could be, even right now.
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
That's what the expectations of a #1 overall pick will do for you.
A second year 7 footer less than halfway through his second year....he has met every expectation of a #1 overall pick. They won’t all be LeBron. But it’s clear he’s going to be an impact player his whole career even if he plateaus at where he is and and he’s the most talented overall player to come out of that draft thus far- key word being overall. Ignore the flash and media hype of the guards who don’t play an ounce of defense. The NBA game is guard oriented right now, so they will naturally have a more immediate offensive impact because the ball is constantly in their hands. But Ayton has had as much an impact on this team’s net play as anybody else from his class, particularly on D.
I was answering the question of why Ayton doesn't get the slack that JJJ, Robinson, and WCJ are afforded.
The caveat with Ayton is: can he do it for all 34 or whatever minutes he's playing. Monty said it again after the Bulls win, Bridges said something to Ayton, and Ayton aknowledged (again) that he needs to focus in and bring the effort all the time. If we're still reading those quotes next year and the year after....
Ayton was taken 1st when our most glaring weakness was point guard. It just so happens that one of the best point guards ever was also available to us and we passed to get Ayton. Some people had a problem with that and I can see why. At the same time the experts were saying Ayton was a generational center. The Suns have always been well known for having suck azz centers. I can see why management would have a difficult decision.
For better or worse they took Ayton. Doncic was already a veteran to professional basketball and was years ahead of everyone else in the draft as far as experience. Ayton was a giant gifted athlete with limited experience who grew up in Phoenix, went to college at UofA and ended up on the Suns. I think Either pick was a win win. Doncic might have helped the Suns more now. Ayton might help the Suns more later.
He was expected to make the sophomore jump this year and instead got suspended while Doncic looked like an All Star. Ayton finally comes back and sprains his ankle in the first game back and goes on injured reserve. Obviously people are pissed off and Ayton is sitting in the dog house at this point. Every time Ayton says something in the press we all make a big deal out of it because he isn’t backing it up on the court. He finally comes back from the ankle sprain and he is very tentative. Witness the low point of Ayton.
From that moment on he has been steadily improving even though he’s not really that many games into his season. He’s to the point where only fools go against him one on one. He IS becoming an intimidating force inside. He IS starting to get offensive rebounds. He IS starting to dunk it and keep the ball high. People ARE starting to talk less smack against him.
He is far from done. I think he is starting to make believers out of some.
He's doing great and keeps improving.
Part of the problem with Ayton is that everyone sees what he can be and the glaring flaws he has right now. Some can't see or imagine him improve those. While others expect it immediately and are impatient with the progress. While others like myself can see how little things we expect from anyone aren't very consistent and because of that his production is far less than what it could be, even right now.
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
That's what the expectations of a #1 overall pick will do for you.
A second year 7 footer less than halfway through his second year....he has met every expectation of a #1 overall pick. They won’t all be LeBron. But it’s clear he’s going to be an impact player his whole career even if he plateaus at where he is and and he’s the most talented overall player to come out of that draft thus far- key word being overall. Ignore the flash and media hype of the guards who don’t play an ounce of defense. The NBA game is guard oriented right now, so they will naturally have a more immediate offensive impact because the ball is constantly in their hands. But Ayton has had as much an impact on this team’s net play as anybody else from his class, particularly on D.
I think Ayton has a solid argument as the #2 player from this class. I think the love JJJ gets over him is undeserving, bordering on ridiculous.
But, dude, it's Doncic and it's not close. Counting Defense and everything. Any opinion to the contrary would only come from a Suns fan.
One way player.
You may like watching Doncic play more, and the league may be slanted more in the favor of perimeter oriented players, but it’s a hard sell to me that Doncic or Young are better overall players at this point. They only impact one end of the court and are more liabilities on the other (Young is much worse). I think Ayton will end up closing the gap offensively, and on defense IMO he’s already shown he will be elite
Ayton was taken 1st when our most glaring weakness was point guard. It just so happens that one of the best point guards ever was also available to us and we passed to get Ayton. Some people had a problem with that and I can see why. At the same time the experts were saying Ayton was a generational center. The Suns have always been well known for having suck azz centers. I can see why management would have a difficult decision.
For better or worse they took Ayton. Doncic was already a veteran to professional basketball and was years ahead of everyone else in the draft as far as experience. Ayton was a giant gifted athlete with limited experience who grew up in Phoenix, went to college at UofA and ended up on the Suns. I think Either pick was a win win. Doncic might have helped the Suns more now. Ayton might help the Suns more later.
He was expected to make the sophomore jump this year and instead got suspended while Doncic looked like an All Star. Ayton finally comes back and sprains his ankle in the first game back and goes on injured reserve. Obviously people are pissed off and Ayton is sitting in the dog house at this point. Every time Ayton says something in the press we all make a big deal out of it because he isn’t backing it up on the court. He finally comes back from the ankle sprain and he is very tentative. Witness the low point of Ayton.
From that moment on he has been steadily improving even though he’s not really that many games into his season. He’s to the point where only fools go against him one on one. He IS becoming an intimidating force inside. He IS starting to get offensive rebounds. He IS starting to dunk it and keep the ball high. People ARE starting to talk less smack against him.
He is far from done. I think he is starting to make believers out of some.
The Suns needed a just center as badly as the needed a point guard. They have had elite point guards over and over(Westphal, Kidd, John, Nash, and the list goes on). They have never had an elite center. Now they do.
Ayton was taken 1st when our most glaring weakness was point guard. It just so happens that one of the best point guards ever was also available to us and we passed to get Ayton. Some people had a problem with that and I can see why. At the same time the experts were saying Ayton was a generational center. The Suns have always been well known for having suck azz centers. I can see why management would have a difficult decision.
For better or worse they took Ayton. Doncic was already a veteran to professional basketball and was years ahead of everyone else in the draft as far as experience. Ayton was a giant gifted athlete with limited experience who grew up in Phoenix, went to college at UofA and ended up on the Suns. I think Either pick was a win win. Doncic might have helped the Suns more now. Ayton might help the Suns more later.
He was expected to make the sophomore jump this year and instead got suspended while Doncic looked like an All Star. Ayton finally comes back and sprains his ankle in the first game back and goes on injured reserve. Obviously people are pissed off and Ayton is sitting in the dog house at this point. Every time Ayton says something in the press we all make a big deal out of it because he isn’t backing it up on the court. He finally comes back from the ankle sprain and he is very tentative. Witness the low point of Ayton.
From that moment on he has been steadily improving even though he’s not really that many games into his season. He’s to the point where only fools go against him one on one. He IS becoming an intimidating force inside. He IS starting to get offensive rebounds. He IS starting to dunk it and keep the ball high. People ARE starting to talk less smack against him.
He is far from done. I think he is starting to make believers out of some.
Great post. I've been a believer and he's starting to justify our belief. His ceiling is a Ewing-Garnett hybrid on defense, not sure what on offense but some kind of monster.
Ayton was taken 1st when our most glaring weakness was point guard. It just so happens that one of the best point guards ever was also available to us and we passed to get Ayton. Some people had a problem with that and I can see why. At the same time the experts were saying Ayton was a generational center. The Suns have always been well known for having suck azz centers. I can see why management would have a difficult decision.
For better or worse they took Ayton. Doncic was already a veteran to professional basketball and was years ahead of everyone else in the draft as far as experience. Ayton was a giant gifted athlete with limited experience who grew up in Phoenix, went to college at UofA and ended up on the Suns. I think Either pick was a win win. Doncic might have helped the Suns more now. Ayton might help the Suns more later.
He was expected to make the sophomore jump this year and instead got suspended while Doncic looked like an All Star. Ayton finally comes back and sprains his ankle in the first game back and goes on injured reserve. Obviously people are pissed off and Ayton is sitting in the dog house at this point. Every time Ayton says something in the press we all make a big deal out of it because he isn’t backing it up on the court. He finally comes back from the ankle sprain and he is very tentative. Witness the low point of Ayton.
From that moment on he has been steadily improving even though he’s not really that many games into his season. He’s to the point where only fools go against him one on one. He IS becoming an intimidating force inside. He IS starting to get offensive rebounds. He IS starting to dunk it and keep the ball high. People ARE starting to talk less smack against him.
He is far from done. I think he is starting to make believers out of some.
The Suns needed a just center as badly as the needed a point guard. They have had elite point guards over and over(Westphal, Kidd, John, Nash, and the list goes on). They have never had an elite center. Now they do.
I agree. There was a HUGE hole at center prior to that draft and got abused by the big teams in the West. We even saw it last year without a PF. It's only now starting to change. I'm not saying that the Suns didn't need a PG, because they clearly did, but I think they thought it was harder to get an elite big man, than to get a good PG. Idk what McDonough was thinking. Dude was all over the place with dumb decisions.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
Mitchell Robinson?! He was a second round pick that didn't go to college. Why is it weird that he isn't as scrutinized as a player who went number one who played and dominated in college?
You may like watching Doncic play more, and the league may be slanted more in the favor of perimeter oriented players, but it’s a hard sell to me that Doncic or Young are better overall players at this point. They only impact one end of the court and are more liabilities on the other (Young is much worse). I think Ayton will end up closing the gap offensively, and on defense IMO he’s already shown he will be elite
I think we can leave Young out of this and just discuss Doncic. He is the best player on a winning team and is putting up Hall-of-Fame numbers in his second year in the league. It really isn't that complicated or debatable. It doesn't mean that Ayton is a bust or that he is worthless; but it really isn't close right now.
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
Mitchell Robinson?! He was a second round pick that didn't go to college. Why is it weird that he isn't as scrutinized as a player who went number one who played and dominated in college?
Elementary my dear Watson. His production his first year blew a lousy draft spot away. You aren't starting from that spot anymore when projecting growth, are you? He's been around the same as he was this year, but why is he not getting more time on the court? His ORtg is 142 and his DRtg is 107, with a WS per 48 of .226. That is pretty incredible, but he's only getting 2.4 more minutes per game? What area of his game has he made a leap in? What skill has he brought to the table that he didn't have before?
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass
It's weird though, that guys like JJJ, Mitchell Robinson, and WCJ are given a ton of leeway and benefit of the doubt on projected growth even though they aren't even close to as productive or have improved as much as Ayton has this year from last year.
Mitchell Robinson?! He was a second round pick that didn't go to college. Why is it weird that he isn't as scrutinized as a player who went number one who played and dominated in college?
Elementary my dear Watson. His production his first year blew a lousy draft spot away. You aren't starting from that spot anymore when projecting growth, are you? He's been around the same as he was this year, but why is he not getting more time on the court? His ORtg is 142 and his DRtg is 107, with a WS per 48 of .226. That is pretty incredible, but he's only getting 2.4 more minutes per game? What area of his game has he made a leap in? What skill has he brought to the table that he didn't have before?
Because the Knicks stupidly signed 14 power forwards this past offseason to block his progress.