All Things Ayton

[Kryptonic]

Also, if this thread isn’t at 200 pages by the start of the season. I’ll be severely disappointed.

Considering that the thread started in July of 2018, that's pushing it. But then, the fact that we hit 100 in July of 2023 and we're already at 122, gives one hope.

78 more pages of love for Ayton in the next 2 months? Nope... Not going to help, not one bit.

[Kryptonic]

My bad... 77 pages.... again, not going to help... .Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent!

[Superbone]

My bad... 77 pages.... again, not going to help... .Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent!

At this juncture?

[Kryptonic]

My bad... 77 pages.... again, not going to help... .Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent!

At this juncture?

Never... and I mean it!

[Cap]

Also, if this thread isn’t at 200 pages by the start of the season. I’ll be severely disappointed.

Considering that the thread started in July of 2018, that's pushing it. But then, the fact that we hit 100 in July of 2023 and we're already at 122, gives one hope.

78 more pages of love for Ayton in the next 2 months? Nope... Not going to help, not one bit.

How about 39 pages of love and 39 pages of hate?

[Kryptonic]

Also, if this thread isn’t at 200 pages by the start of the season. I’ll be severely disappointed.

Considering that the thread started in July of 2018, that's pushing it. But then, the fact that we hit 100 in July of 2023 and we're already at 122, gives one hope.

78 more pages of love for Ayton in the next 2 months? Nope... Not going to help, not one bit.

How about 39 pages of love and 39 pages of hate?

Well... I'm trying to instill more positivity for our max C, but if it instills more participation in this thread.. I welcome it.

[JeremyG]

Looking at who’s still playing, Bahamas should win this, right? They’ve got two games left and from what I can see they were the top ranked team and Argentina was 2nd. They have 4 nba players. Is Campazzo the only other nba player in the tournament? Does he even count as nba.

Argentina is the 4th ranked team in the world, so it's not like they're a bunch of scrubs. They will probably be the Bahamas' opponent again in the title game.

[Split T]

So Argentina can still make it back. I just read one article that power ranked the teams and gave a quick run down. Bahamas was 1, Argentina was 2. None of the other teams mentioned any NBA players. Having 4(including 3 starter level ones) is a huge talent advantage. I get that’s not always the only thing that matters, especially when teams are thrown together are competing against national teams that have been playing together forever.

Still that 4th ranking takes into consideration the last 8 years. I’m not sure they are as good as their ranking indicates. Not saying they are scrubs, but they aren’t the 4th best team in the world. They didn’t even qualify for the FIBA World Cup(32 teams including including 6 from the Americas).

[Flagrant Fowl]

Argentina is absolutely not the 4th best team in the world right now. FIBA rankings are largely useless.

For fun, I have all of these teams ahead of Argentina right now, and I'm probably missing some.

USA
France
Spain
Slovenia
Serbia
Brazil
Canada
Germany
Greece
Australia
The Bahamas?

Argentina would be lucky to make the top 10 right now.

[Superbone]

I just watched the Ayton FIBA compilation video. Wouldn't it be something if Ayton came into his own the season we have three legitimate superstars? Could make for a magical year.

[TOO]

Argentina is absolutely not the 4th best team in the world right now. FIBA rankings are largely useless.

For fun, I have all of these teams ahead of Argentina right now, and I'm probably missing some.

USA
France
Spain
Slovenia
Serbia
Brazil
Canada
Germany
Greece
Australia
The Bahamas?

Argentina would be lucky to make the top 10 right now.

This.

I get people wanna be excited about Ayton, I really do, but he's out there playing against gym teachers, I'll wait until preseason against actual nba guys before I see if he actually looks any different.

[Kryptonic]

I just watched the Ayton FIBA compilation video. Wouldn't it be something if Ayton came into his own the season we have three legitimate superstars? Could make for a magical year.

You mean 4, right?

[Flagrant Fowl]

High end role player to superstar in the midst of one season would be quite remarkable.

[3TheHardaway]

I just watched the Ayton FIBA compilation video. Wouldn't it be something if Ayton came into his own the season we have three legitimate superstars? Could make for a magical year.

I had a similar thought. He looks very decisive, not shying from contact. Obviously this is against non-NBA size/talent, but it’s what you’d expect him to do.

As endearing as it was to watch the Mikal/Cam/Cam shenanigans for the last few years, I wonder if it hindered DA maturing and taking his job seriously.

This is not to say that the twins were not exceptional locker room types and not effective players, just a thought about how a loose attitude could be contagious to guys who don’t put as much effort on the court.

Now he’s surrounded by a group of guys who are driven and all about basketball (without the malignancy that CP3 has seemed to rub many the wrong way). I’m ready to get my hopes up again.

[wpmiller42]

I just watched the Ayton FIBA compilation video. Wouldn't it be something if Ayton came into his own the season we have three legitimate superstars? Could make for a magical year.

I had a similar thought. He looks very decisive, not shying from contact. Obviously this is against non-NBA size/talent, but it’s what you’d expect him to do.

As endearing as it was to watch the Mikal/Cam/Cam shenanigans for the last few years, I wonder if it hindered DA maturing and taking his job seriously.

This is not to say that the twins were not exceptional locker room types and not effective players, just a thought about how a loose attitude could be contagious to guys who don’t put as much effort on the court.

Now he’s surrounded by a group of guys who are driven and all about basketball (without the malignancy that CP3 has seemed to rub many the wrong way). I’m ready to get my hopes up again.

I think I disagree a bit with your take on Mikal/Cam/Cam. Yeah, there was some silly handshakes, but I felt that you never questioned their effort on or off the court. Even if they weren't playing well, the effort was always there. True or not, Ayton made it extremely easy to question his effort on and off the court.

I am also hopeful that the big change in personnel will have a positive effect on DA though. And the recent international play is also promising.

[3TheHardaway]

I just watched the Ayton FIBA compilation video. Wouldn't it be something if Ayton came into his own the season we have three legitimate superstars? Could make for a magical year.

I had a similar thought. He looks very decisive, not shying from contact. Obviously this is against non-NBA size/talent, but it’s what you’d expect him to do.

As endearing as it was to watch the Mikal/Cam/Cam shenanigans for the last few years, I wonder if it hindered DA maturing and taking his job seriously.

This is not to say that the twins were not exceptional locker room types and not effective players, just a thought about how a loose attitude could be contagious to guys who don’t put as much effort on the court.

Now he’s surrounded by a group of guys who are driven and all about basketball (without the malignancy that CP3 has seemed to rub many the wrong way). I’m ready to get my hopes up again.

I think I disagree a bit with your take on Mikal/Cam/Cam. Yeah, there was some silly handshakes, but I felt that you never questioned their effort on or off the court. Even if they weren't playing well, the effort was always there. True or not, Ayton made it extremely easy to question his effort on and off the court.

I am also hopeful that the big change in personnel will have a positive effect on DA though. And the recent international play is also promising.

Fair, my take is extremely speculative. To clarify I never questioned those guys’ effort on the court. They earned the latitude to be loose and silly, whereas DA wanted to join in on the fun and sing Nevada into a mop but wasn’t putting forth similar effort.

It’s less a critique of Mikal/Cams and more an indictment of DA’s immaturity. The point being that perhaps being around more strictly business types might help DA fall in line with that attitude.

[JeremyG]

Deandre Ayton’s defensive dominance for Bahamas brings Suns hope
BY KELLAN OLSON
Arizona Sports

https://arizonasports.com/story/3531570 ... suns-hope/

[Superbone]

Deandre Ayton’s defensive dominance for Bahamas brings Suns hope
BY KELLAN OLSON
Arizona Sports

https://arizonasports.com/story/3531570 ... suns-hope/

I was just reading this when you posted it. I think it sums up very well how many of us feel about Ayton.

In a media world full of grand declarations, I understand the cynicism surrounding them. That said, this upcoming Suns season hinges on Ayton (*waves magical “if healthy” wand around the entire team*).

It sure seems like the Suns tried to trade Ayton, and they had a reason to after seeing the dreadful inconsistencies in his game for the third straight playoff series last May. Relying on him for the biggest stages again feels unwise. If he does it again in any of the four straight series the Suns have to win to win a title, they are almost certainly cooked.

No matter how you slice it, there are flaws in Ayton’s game that we’ve been talking about for over five years now. Like that Western Conference Finals game in L.A., or that playoff run, or the first round in 2022, we’ve also seen what Ayton could be if the ultimate career elixir for promising young players known as consistency and confidence can find him.

That, more than the big-time performances, is what the Suns need. They don’t have to get a career-best year out of him or a breakout defensive stretch that sees him emerge as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate under Vogel. It’s more than possible.

But it’s about Ayton becoming reliable. Not wondering if the Suns will have to again watch his engagement levels crater when the season is on the line.

Perhaps the start of that consistency and confidence develops from representing his country. He’s been the man so far through two games and playing like he knows he is. If Ayton is that guy for two more games, he will have helped the Bahamas win some of its biggest basketball games ever.

Maybe we’ll be saying that in a different way nine months from now.

[TOO]

I guess it's OK when a Suns shill says it?

[In2ition]

Idk, Kellan Olson hasn't exactly been on the Ayton train...ever. He was vehemently against drafting him over Luka, and has rightfully criticized Ayton's flaws over the years. He's a big Book and Suns fan though.