Three things to watch for during Phoenix Suns Summer League
By Kyle Manthe
Where Ayton’s action comes from
One of the biggest knocks coming into the draft for Deandre Ayton was that he does not fit the modern NBA. Now that he is officially on board, it is time to see if that criticism will hold up or not.
With a lot of moving and passing in Igor Kokoskov’s offense it would not be a surprise for Ayton to get opportunities all over the floor, inside and out. That variety will be important for him to become the type of center who can adapt to the modern NBA game while also bringing back an old school style.
With a body like Ayton’s you do not want him to spend too much time roaming around the 3-point arc like Dragan Bender. It is important to show that he can at least step a few feet outside the paint and hit mid-range jump shots. Ayton should take roughly 35% of his shots outside of 12 feet to begin including one or two 3-pointers.
The real strength of Ayton’s game is his post play, and he and Igor should both know that. That’s why Ayton should be starting out positioning himself in the post, especially early in the game. This will get himself going with easy baskets early as well as open up the floor for 3-point shooters.