Ayton haters' apology thread

[Split T]

Bill Simmons just made a case for Deandre Ayton as a top 20 player in the league

[Flagrant Fowl]

Bill Simmons just made a case for Deandre Ayton as a top 20 player in the league

Is there anyone in NBA media more reactionary than Bill Simmons these days?

He'll say something like that about Ayton and then if he has two sub-par games in a row he'll say something like, "I had him in the top 20 for that week."

[Split T]

Bill Simmons just made a case for Deandre Ayton as a top 20 player in the league

Is there anyone in NBA media more reactionary than Bill Simmons these days?

He'll say something like that about Ayton and then if he has two sub-par games in a row he'll say something like, "I had him in the top 20 for that week."

Haha, Russillo definitely pumped the breaks on him. I am not putting Ayton top 20, but it is cool that our team is getting the over reactions now.

[Nodack]

Three Suns in the All Star game next year?

[Split T]

Three Suns in the All Star game next year?

That’s always going to be tough to pull off in the west. Need injuries and probably a top seed.

[JeremyG]

Bill Simmons just made a case for Deandre Ayton as a top 20 player in the league

Is there anyone in NBA media more reactionary than Bill Simmons these days?

He'll say something like that about Ayton and then if he has two sub-par games in a row he'll say something like, "I had him in the top 20 for that week."

Haha, Russillo definitely pumped the breaks on him. I am not putting Ayton top 20, but it is cool that our team is getting the over reactions now.

If he's better than Gobert, and Gobert is considered top 15 (All-NBA), then what does that make him?

He's certainly playing at an All-Star level, so that would make him at least top 24.

[virtual9mm]

I was really afraid that Ayton would make me look like an idiot for urging patience. There were times where I almost gave up on him. Glad that I never quite did.

Let's be clear. I think he'll have stretches where he coasts through the regular season, playing down to the level of the competition and such. Let's just remember to have patience even during these times.

Having watched him develop, I think that the right comparison is a mix of Shawn Marion and Patrick Ewing. He doesn't have the offensive versatility of David Robinson or the go-to-move of Hakeem quite yet. But I can see him developing this over the next couple of years. Or maybe not. But a Marion-Ewing hybrid has been something to behold.

“Give him the ball in the post, get out of the way, and let him do his Dream Shake” is never going to be Ayton’s game. It doesn’t have to be.

Down the stretch last night there were several times that the Clippers doubled him when he didn’t even have the ball. A player who can generate that kind of gravity without even needing the ball is extremely valuable.

Gravity in today's game is the equivalent of a classic double team in the post in the 1990s game, when this was the measure of a superstar.

[3rdside]

Bill Simmons just made a case for Deandre Ayton as a top 20 player in the league

Is there anyone in NBA media more reactionary than Bill Simmons these days?

He'll say something like that about Ayton and then if he has two sub-par games in a row he'll say something like, "I had him in the top 20 for that week."

Haha, Russillo definitely pumped the breaks on him. I am not putting Ayton top 20, but it is cool that our team is getting the over reactions now.

If he's better than Gobert, and Gobert is considered top 15 (All-NBA), then what does that make him?

He's certainly playing at an All-Star level, so that would make him at least top 24.

Hell of a concept - who trades Ayton for Gobert right now?

No one I'd guess, or at least no one should.

[virtual9mm]

Bill Simmons just made a case for Deandre Ayton as a top 20 player in the league

Is there anyone in NBA media more reactionary than Bill Simmons these days?

He'll say something like that about Ayton and then if he has two sub-par games in a row he'll say something like, "I had him in the top 20 for that week."

Haha, Russillo definitely pumped the breaks on him. I am not putting Ayton top 20, but it is cool that our team is getting the over reactions now.

If he's better than Gobert, and Gobert is considered top 15 (All-NBA), then what does that make him?

He's certainly playing at an All-Star level, so that would make him at least top 24.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Once Ayton does what he has been doing for an entire season, he will be top 30 (best player on an average team). If he can up his numbers while maintaining nutritional value of these numbers (vs. empty calories), only then will he ge a top 15 player. Up them to 25 and 15 with a few blocks and assists while playing all nba defense and doing everything else he has been doing and the David Robinson comp gets reasonable as an all time center.

But this is what I expect of him soon. What I was hoping for when I said he would be the Hakeem pick in the Michael Jordan draft.

[virtual9mm]

Bill Simmons just made a case for Deandre Ayton as a top 20 player in the league

Is there anyone in NBA media more reactionary than Bill Simmons these days?

He'll say something like that about Ayton and then if he has two sub-par games in a row he'll say something like, "I had him in the top 20 for that week."

Haha, Russillo definitely pumped the breaks on him. I am not putting Ayton top 20, but it is cool that our team is getting the over reactions now.

If he's better than Gobert, and Gobert is considered top 15 (All-NBA), then what does that make him?

He's certainly playing at an All-Star level, so that would make him at least top 24.

Hell of a concept - who trades Ayton for Gobert right now?

No one I'd guess, or at least no one should.

Would you trade a potential Robinson for a Mutombo? Especially in the pace and space era.

I think the right comp for Ayton is a Ewing with the bounciness and ability to defend out further of a Marion. He's not a Robinson yet but perhaps he is the only true center to be truly playable in this era.

[3rdside]

Imagine if Ayton turned up during the Len / Bender / Chriss years .. there's a chance he'd never reach his potential his entire career if he'd started in that shit show of a culture McD created.

[3rdside]

Is there anyone in NBA media more reactionary than Bill Simmons these days?

He'll say something like that about Ayton and then if he has two sub-par games in a row he'll say something like, "I had him in the top 20 for that week."

Haha, Russillo definitely pumped the breaks on him. I am not putting Ayton top 20, but it is cool that our team is getting the over reactions now.

If he's better than Gobert, and Gobert is considered top 15 (All-NBA), then what does that make him?

He's certainly playing at an All-Star level, so that would make him at least top 24.

Hell of a concept - who trades Ayton for Gobert right now?

No one I'd guess, or at least no one should.

Would you trade a potential Robinson for a Mutombo? Especially in the pace and space era.

I think the right comp for Ayton is a Ewing with the bounciness and ability to defend out further of a Marion. He's not a Robinson yet but perhaps he is the only true center to be truly playable in this era.

Man making Ewing the comparison seems a little unfair - Ewing was a low block pounder with zero ability to defend guards.

Ayton has a chance to be a unicorn with his lateral quickness and length - like you said, a centre capable of being dominant in this new era.

[specialsauce]

Ayton being better than Gobert doesn’t make him a top 15 player, because Gobert is not a top 15 player in this league. Gobert and Simmons are the most overrated players in our league. They are regular season ponies. If you can’t do anything on offense in today’s game, you are not a max player. Whatever team commits that is handicapping their franchise.

[JeremyG]

Remember when Ayton was suspended for 25 games for a drug violation last season?

Same for John Collins. Now they could both be in the Finals one season later.

[England Sun]

At current play he’s a top 4 centre in the league and therefore the All Star conversation is a valid one.
Yes, the West might mean he doesn’t make the team behind Joker and Gobert but the only other competition is Embib in the east as he’s way better than Vucevic.

I’m so glad he’s matured and improved and hope he gets even better in the next series and gets all the national accolades due him.

[Superbone]

You want a laugh?

[Superbone]

[Superbone]

[Nodack]

Three Suns in the All Star game next year?

That’s always going to be tough to pull off in the west. Need injuries and probably a top seed.

The All Star public selections are popularity contests. The Suns are being introduced to America and America likes them. If they win a Finals, they will become the next bandwagon team. Gobert’s from France. Ayton is cool and from the Bahama’s, went to HS in Phoenix, College in Tucson and now plays for the Suns. He’s a Valley boy and cute as a button. People will vote for that.

[Danimal]

Remember when Ayton was suspended for 25 games for a drug violation last season?

Same for John Collins. Now they could both be in the Finals one season later.

So say yes to drugs?