All Things Ayton

[JeremyG]

If Jones is wrong, then who can name six centers who are objectively better?

[TOO]

If Jones is wrong, then who can name six centers who are objectively better?

Here's the rub, you're not objective.

[specialsauce]

And yet again, the fallacy is assuming the 6th best center deserves a max contract.

RBs in the NFL are a prime example. If you’re not top 2-3, you’re not worth it over a cheaper replacement because your position ain’t that valuable/special

[Shabazz]

I don't think it's crazy to call Ayton the 6th-ish best center.

Clear, runaway tier-1:
Jokic
Embiid

(huge gap)

Tier 2:
Davis
Adebayo
Sabonis
Porzingis
KAT
Ayton
Gobert

Tier 2.5:
Myles Turner

Tier 3:
Kessler (trending up)
Jarrett Allen
Poeltl
WCJ
Mitchell Robinson
Time Lord
Capela
Claxton
Valanciunas
B. Lopez
Vucevic

Banging on the door:
Sengun
Mark Williams
Naz Reid
Duren

Next group:
Gafford
Steven Adams
Zubac

[Shabazz]

- When Ayton's not engaged, he's very much in that tier 3 group. They just don't have Ayton's ceiling on both sides of the ball.

- For me, trading Ayton was never about upgrading that spot. It was about moving down 1-tier in the center group to 1) get a player who would embrace/fit the interior D/rebounding/dirty work role we need out of that position more and, 2) more importantly, add some starting quality depth when it appeared we didn't have other avenues to get there. Now that we've done a really good job of filling out the roster, I don't think we need to trade Ayton. We can be much more selective about our return.

[Superbone]

Dan Majerle speaking some truth regarding Ayton:

https://arizonasports.com/story/3529069 ... s-rosters/

For me, when you pay a guy over $100 million, you know, it’s on you. It really is,” Majerle said. “The guy is a grown man … if he wants to change the perception of what he is, that’s what he’s got to do. For him, all he’s got to do is play with a great motor … rebound the basketball, set great picks, roll, finish, play defense and all those things, and if you win those things are going to come.

All the accolades are going to come your way. He’s out of excuses, he’s got to bucket down and not worry about what everybody thinks about him.

And now AZ Sports is at it. He clearly said the common phrase "buckle down."

[Cap]

Ayton gonna be the first guy to hit the injury report with feelings being the listed injury.

[JeremyG]

I don't think it's crazy to call Ayton the 6th-ish best center.

Clear, runaway tier-1:
Jokic
Embiid

(huge gap)

Tier 2:
Adebayo
Porzingis
KAT
Ayton
Gobert

Tier 2.5:
Myles Turner

Tier 3:
Kessler (trending up)
Jarrett Allen
Poeltl
WCJ
Mitchell Robinson
Time Lord
Capela
Claxton
Valanciunas
B. Lopez
Vucevic

Banging on the door:
Sengun
Mark Williams
Naz Reid
Duren

Next group:
Gafford
Steven Adams
Zubac

You left off Davis and Sabonis, both of whom played center last season and will likely do so this season.

Also, with KAT on the same team as Gobert, KAT can’t really be called a center anymore.

[iLLmatic]

Dan Majerle speaking some truth regarding Ayton:

https://arizonasports.com/story/3529069 ... s-rosters/

For me, when you pay a guy over $100 million, you know, it’s on you. It really is,” Majerle said. “The guy is a grown man … if he wants to change the perception of what he is, that’s what he’s got to do. For him, all he’s got to do is play with a great motor … rebound the basketball, set great picks, roll, finish, play defense and all those things, and if you win those things are going to come.

All the accolades are going to come your way. He’s out of excuses, he’s got to bucket down and not worry about what everybody thinks about him.

And now AZ Sports is at it. He clearly said the common phrase "buckle down."

Lol saw that

[Shabazz]

I don't think it's crazy to call Ayton the 6th-ish best center.

Clear, runaway tier-1:
Jokic
Embiid

(huge gap)

Tier 2:
Adebayo
Porzingis
KAT
Ayton
Gobert

Tier 2.5:
Myles Turner

Tier 3:
Kessler (trending up)
Jarrett Allen
Poeltl
WCJ
Mitchell Robinson
Time Lord
Capela
Claxton
Valanciunas
B. Lopez
Vucevic

Banging on the door:
Sengun
Mark Williams
Naz Reid
Duren

Next group:
Gafford
Steven Adams
Zubac

You left off Davis and Sabonis, both of whom played center last season and will likely do so this season.

Also, with KAT on the same team as Gobert, KAT can’t really be called a center anymore.

Whoops. I knew there would be some I missed. Correcting.

I still think KAT’s a C. He just plays in 2C lineups.

[JeremyG]

From Keith Smith of Spotrac:

Summer League Notebook: Part 3 - Western Conference

All quotes are anonymous. Each one came from NBA team personnel (generally a front office executive, coach or assistant coach). In exchange for anonymity, you often get candidness.

[...]

“We’re committed to Deandre (Ayton). He’s going to play a key role for us this year as the backline of our defense. And we’ll make sure he gets enough touches on offense to keep him involved on that end too. It’s not just going to be him living off screens and offensive rebounds.”

[Mori Chu]

Talk is cheap. Both from the FO and from DA. He needs to show up and play his ass off this year. Majerle has the gist of it.

[JeremyG]

Dan Majerle speaking some truth regarding Ayton:

https://arizonasports.com/story/3529069 ... s-rosters/

For me, when you pay a guy over $100 million, you know, it’s on you. It really is,” Majerle said. “The guy is a grown man … if he wants to change the perception of what he is, that’s what he’s got to do. For him, all he’s got to do is play with a great motor … rebound the basketball, set great picks, roll, finish, play defense and all those things, and if you win those things are going to come.

All the accolades are going to come your way. He’s out of excuses, he’s got to bucket down and not worry about what everybody thinks about him.

And now AZ Sports is at it. He clearly said the common phrase "buckle down."

On the other hand, they corrected Majerle's "accolations" to "accolades."

[JeremyG]

Detroit. Lol.

[Mori Chu]

If Detroit trades for DA, JeremyG will literally fly out there and do a drive-by on Monty.

[wpmiller42]

There's no way that Detroit makes Monty the highest paid coach by a considerable margin, and then brings in the one significant player in the whole league that truly seems to have a problem with him. I'm not counting Jae.

[TOO]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DA!

How is DA 25 and Book 26?

Seems wrong.

[Shabazz]

If Detroit trades for DA, JeremyG will literally fly out there and do a drive-by on Monty.

A drive-by "take his daughter out to a nice seafood dinner and never call her again"ing.

(Worse than a drive-by shooting as far as Monty is concerned)

[SunsRIt]

Bickley is the man and says it like it is. If he doesn’t want to be called childlike then stop acting like a baby be a grown up and do your job

Buckley is a dipshit and a hack. Period.

[specialsauce]

Bickley is the man and says it like it is. If he doesn’t want to be called childlike then stop acting like a baby be a grown up and do your job

Buckley is a dipshit and a hack. Period.

Well you must be right because you ended your statement with the word period